Freedom
by AJ and Sebastian Goin
Summary: When the Giblets find themselves free of NCIS and Gibbs' rules, what will happen. MASSIVE spoilers for 10x24
1. Chapter 1

AN: So apparently the way to wake up my brain is to take 2 Excedrine Tension Headache and 2 Benadryl and NOT go to sleep. So, I've been talking about doing this since the Season 10 finale aired, now I'm gonna go ahead and do it.

MN: Benadryl makes me wake up and if she's not asleep she can't ignore me muahahahahaha!

Disclaimers: If I owned NCIS, this would have actually BEEN part of the finale.

Spoilers: Mild through current, Major 10X24. Does not deal with Gibbs' actions, only those of his team. I'm gonna assume they know nothing of what he's doing.

* * *

"_Is Agent Gibbs so valuable that you would allow this to happen?"_

Parsons' words echoed through his head as he sat in his study and Director Leon Vance snorted out a laugh. Allow. Like he'd allowed any of it to happen. No. He had been fully prepared to argue with Gibbs' team as they placed their badges on his desk but as soon as he opened his mouth, he had been put in his place.

David had stated in no uncertain terms that their decision was final and the set of DiNozzo's jaw had caused him to shut his own. Even McGee seemed more confident in this decision than in any other Vance had seen the young agent make in the previous five and a half years.

But he had not allowed this to happen. The sudden loss of his lead major case response team had left him scrambling to fill their shoes, and it wasn't going well. The first team he assigned what would have been Gibbs' next case to hadn't lasted a day before the team leader was in his office demanding that he never have to see Abby Sciuto in person again.

In the man's defense, Sciuto was being uncharacteristically hostile toward, well, everyone. With the exception of Dr. Mallard and his assistant, anyone who dared speak to the forensic specialist was being treated with hostility. She'd even screeched at him for daring to venture into her lab.

He was sure that she would be alright long term, however. His concerns lay with the three agents who had committed the ultimate act of professional sacrifice out of love and loyalty toward their team leader and surrogate father. He wasn't entirely sure they could handle this.

* * *

By the hour Ziva was becoming less sure that she could handle this. It had been three weeks and she was no closer to finding a job than when she had handed in her badge. Her savings were dwindling fast and Parsons seemed to have effectively 'cock blocked' (as Tony had put it) them from getting a job in law enforcement anywhere in the metro area. She was starting to expand her search to the point where a job offer now would likely mean relocation.

Her scowl intensified at that thought. She was quite fond of the life she'd managed to carve out for herself in Virginia. She had a routine and places she liked to go and friends. Okay, she had a few casual friends. But she also had a few really good ones. Friends so good that even though they were no longer working together, they were still talking daily, meeting for drinks, and helping one another job hunt. Except for Gibbs.

That brought another scowl to her face. Their fearless leader and family patriarch had disappeared within hours of the team tendering their resignations. He'd called Abby to tell her he was leaving on special assignment and that had been it. None of them had seen or heard from him since. He hadn't been home either. They were all starting to get worried.

A knock at her door jarred her from her thoughts and she glanced at the clock. It was 1600 hours. He was early. She shoved from the couch in an ungraceful manner that was completely unfitting to the businesslike blouse and skirt she was wearing and crossed her living room to the door. Out of habit she picked her gun up from the sideboard while she peered through the peephole.

After confirming she was correct about the identity of her guest, she put her weapon back on the table and opened the door. His eyebrow hitched skyward as he took in her attire and she could tell he was biting back a laugh as he spoke.

"Care to explain?"

She grabbed his wrist pulling him into her apartment then slammed the door and clicked the locks back into place. "I had an interview for a job as an office assistant through a temp company. I had to look the part, yes?"

He was still raking his eyes up and down her body, even as he tossed his jacket onto a chair. "Hey, I'd hire you. How'd it go?"

She plopped herself back down on the couch heavily and sighed. "Not well. Apparently, being a trained investigator and assassin has absolutely no use in today's corporate world."

He sat on her coffee table facing her and his grin widened. "Well then, it's a good thing I'm here."

"Why _are_ you here, Tony? You usually do not show up until closer to dinner time."

"Because, Zee-vah, I have good news. A friend of a friend of mine owns this private security company and he is currently in need of a couple more bodies. We have interviews on Monday morning." He looked her up and down again pointedly. "And while I'm sure he'd love to see you in _that_, he specifically mentioned jeans being appropriate attire."

She felt her eyes widen in surprise, but didn't try to suppress it. "Really? And it's local?"

"Office is about fifteen minutes from my place, but he does jobs in a couple hundred mile radius. So, yes. Local." He stood up and extended his hand to her. "Now, as much as I love your legs in that skirt, go change. Abby is insisting on taking us out to celebrate and I have a feeling you'd be more comfortable doing shots in pants."

As she allowed him to pull her to her feet, Ziva double checked the clock then looked back to him. "It is a little early for shots, is it not?"

Tony shrugged back at her. "As a former frat boy, I could argue that it is _never_ too early for shots, but Abby wants to meet for dinner first. And since there will be alcohol involved tonight, I figured it's safer if we walk to the pub. Another good argument for you to change."

She took a step toward her bedroom then paused and looked back, taking in his attire. He was wearing jeans and a short sleeved dark green t-shirt. It was obvious that the dress code for the evening was casual. "I will be back in five minutes. Do not touch anything."

* * *

AN: Okay, so once again my "little" idea took on a life all its own and this is going to be a multichappy fic. Damn my inability to write oneshots!


	2. Chapter 2

AN: I'm sorry to keep you all waiting. I do want to let you know that this story will be a little slower on the updates, at least until Tuesday of next week. This is my weekend to work and 8-9 hours shifts at a farm supply store on the weekend are murder. Hoping I can get this one up today (Friday) but then the next one won't get done till Monday or Tuesday. Also, thank you all for your wonderful reviews. I hope to get you all responses by the end of the weekend.

MN: AJ has greenlit this to be a fluffy piece of fluffy fluff, and I think that that's fan-fluffing-tastic! So, if you're looking for our usual Angsty buildup, this may not be the story for you! Also, we have decided to once again play with our work on persepective in this story and are going to write the entire thing (except for that little Prologue bit from Vance and the eventual Epilogue) from Ziva's POV. This is going to be a double challenge because we are much more comfortable writing from inside Tony's head than Ziva's. Hope we don't botch it!

Spoilers: We're gonna just have to add some spoilers for Berlin (10x21) because Sebby and I made the mistake of listening to jazz while writing.

Soundtrack: Go to YouTube. Search "I'm Glad There Is You by Jane Monheit" and play that once you hit the midchapter break and you'll get my exact experience with writing this.

* * *

As she watched Abby throw back what had to be her sixth shot, Ziva shook her head. She and Tony would definitely be shoving both of their friends in a cab when they left the bar. After dinner at the pub and a couple of beers all around, Abby had insisted they walk to a jazz bar a couple of blocks away and the liquor started flowing.

She and Tony had each done a couple of obligatory shots, but had mostly been nursing their drinks. She was currently just buzzed enough to be glad they had walked. By the time they made the walk back to her apartment, she would be almost completely sober and so would Tony, allowing him to safely drive home.

On their walk to dinner they had made plans for what was becoming their habitual Saturday run. It was her lightest cardio workout of the week, and Tony's most intense, but it was…fun. She'd come to look forward to the time with him in the park. They were spending quite a bit of time together in their unemployment, but the jovial tone of their runs was lighthearted and relaxing.

"What do you think?"

Abby's question pulled her from her thoughts and she looked back at her friend. "What?"

Abby giggled and rolled her eyes. "Were you listening to anything I said? Girls' day on Sunday?"

Ziva would have normally tried to find an excuse to get out of any event that was referred to as 'girls' day' but she was feeling guilty over tuning Abby out so she agreed quickly. "Yes. That sounds great."

She braced herself for the impact of Abby's overenthusiastic hug just in time to keep herself from being knocked off her barstool. "We can do facials so your skin will be all amazing and glowing for your interview on Monday. I bet you're excited to go back to work. It would drive me crazy to sit around with nothing to do for weeks on end!"

Ziva's eyes caught Tony's from where he stood at the bar with McGee and she smiled. "It has not been all bad."

Before she even realized her lips had curved upward, Abby saw the look and followed her gaze to the bar. "I can't help but notice you and Tony have been spending a lot of time together since you resigned. Please tell me that with Rule 12 out of the way, you two are finally getting busy!"

Ziva choked on her breath and her eyes snapped back to the chipper Goth. "Abby! I have _no_ idea what you're talking about. Tony and I are friends. We have been keeping each other company. Sharing leads on potential jobs. Mostly we are working our way through his movie collection. Alphabetically."

Abby rolled her eyes dramatically and sighed as Tony and McGee approached their table with their hands full of drinks. "Whatever you say. Oh, look! They brought more shots!"

* * *

As she watched McGee and Abby sway slightly unsteadily on the dance floor, Ziva sensed Tony behind her. She had managed to develop an internal radar to his presence years ago to feed her need to know where he was. He reached around her, a glass of water in his hand.

She took the cold drink and swallowed a large sip. The bar had gotten far more crowded and with the added bodies, the temperature had risen. "Thank you."

He moved beside her to lean on the table, flashing her his typical 'Tony, thousand watt' smile and she couldn't help but smile back. "No problem. I figured you're probably about as done with the drinks as I am."

"Yes." She tilted her head in the general direction of McGee and Abby. "We should send them home soon. McGee has a brunch meeting with his editor tomorrow."

Tony nodded in agreement. "Let's give them one more song before we haul them out. Let the crazy kids have some fun."

A few moments later the music paused as the song changed and a familiar string of notes played. Before she fully registered what the song was, Tony had removed the water glass from her hand and set it on the table before taking her hand in his. He gently pulled her off the barstool and backed toward the dance floor. "They're playing our song, Sweetcheeks."

It was the first time either of them had referenced their time in Berlin in the slightest since their conversation in the woods near Gibbs' cabin. She thought about protesting, but he already had the hand that wasn't grasping hers settled on her waist and she decided to indulge them both. She smiled at him as they began gently rocking to the music. "I suppose I am going to have to be the girl, yes?"

He responded with a simple smile and Ziva found herself once again recalling the words her father had spoken to her so many years earlier. There was no doubt in her mind that Tony was a man who deserved to be loved. That most definitely wasn't what was keeping her from acting on her feelings for him.

When it really came down to it, her apprehension lay completely with herself. She was convinced that she did not deserve a man like Anthony DiNozzo Jr. And she was terrified that if he realized that after they'd become intimate that she would lose his friendship.

That fear is what had led to her confession to him in the woods. And to his credit, he had played the part of dutiful best friend perfectly since. He hadn't pushed her boundaries once. Even with this dance. As much as it meant to her, it was something typical of the 'post elevator us' (as Tony had put it).

Ziva took a deep breath and forced her thoughts to clear. She was going to enjoy this moment. Then she was going to corral her intoxicated friends and put them in a cab and head home.

* * *

AN: So Sebby decided he wanted a nap before work so I took over the writing and SURPRISE! (not) Angst ensued. Oops. But If I'm gonna do this from Ziva's POV I'm gonna do it right. I'm not going to try to ignore that conversation in the woods. It happened. We all know why. Might as well deal with it. Also, the scheduling god (aka my store manager) has smiled upon me and I am off Monday through Wednesday so I should be getting some writing done on those days.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Looks like I was about right on the update time. Could have had this up on Monday but I spent the day out with my mom (Movie and shopping) then wrote JenJen her Songfic. For those of you that didn't read that, we now have a Facebook page. If you like us on there you will get notifications on new stories and chapters without having to check FFN or your email as well as have access to Fan polls to help make decisions about stories. FB fans also get priority on story requests, so follow the link on our profile to check it out!

MN: Due to personal reasons (and related to our expansion to FB) we find it necessary to change our last name. The current one has served us well for many years but we need to cut our ties with it and we want you to help us pick a new one. You will find more information on our Facebook page!

* * *

When Tony arrived to pick her up, Ziva was pacing her living room. She'd made it through her time with him Saturday rather calm. But her anxiety had gradually increased Sunday as she spent the day with a babbling Abby. Her friend was trying to be encouraging about the interview, but in reality had just served to stress her further.

Her exchanged texts with her partner didn't help, especially since they had decided to forego movie night so they could both 'get a good night's rest'. Without him there to distract her she'd begun focusing on how convinced she was that this job was her last chance to stay in DC.

She had spent the night nervously tossing and turning in bed. She had been almost relieved when 0400 had rolled around and she got up for her run. The physical exertion had temporarily quieted her mind and she was able to focus on her morning routine. Now it was nearing 0800 and her restlessness was back in full force.

At Tony's knock, she paused her repetitious path to unlock the door. He wasn't yet fully inside when she resumed her pacing.

"Nervous, Zi?" His tone was meant to be lighthearted but the joke simply grated on her already frayed nerves.

She spun at him and moved toward him. "Yes, Tony. I _am_ nervous. I don't know if you have noticed or not, but we are about out of options for jobs. If I do not get this job I am going to have to start applying for positions that will take me out of state."

The look on his face told her he understood even before his words did. "I know. And neither of us wants that. But we need to go in there confident today. No one wants to hire a security consultant who is a bundle of nerves."

She took a deep breath and nodded. "You are right. Thank you."

His hands raised and came to rest on her shoulders. "That's my ninja. Now, are you ready to go tell this guy how many ways you can kill him with a paperclip?"

She couldn't help the laugh that escaped her. Somehow he always knew how to make her feel better, and this was no exception. "No, Tony. The paperclip is special. That is reserved just for you."

Ziva wretched the phone away from her ear as Abby issued a high pitch squeal through the line. In an effort to keep from going deaf, she hit the button to place the call on speaker as their friend babbled at them excitedly.

"I told you you guys would get it! Of course they loved you. Everyone loves you guys. I'm so excited for you. We're going to have to go out and celebrate this weekend. When do you start? What's the job going to be like?"

"Abby!" The tone of Tony's voice made the woman pause and Ziva sighed in relief as he spoke. "We start tomorrow and, as odd as this is to say to you, Abbs, we can't give any details about the job. Part of our work may involve undercover work so we can't share anything."

She could tell Abby was getting ready to go 'motor mouth' (as Tony would put it) again so she interjected to stop. "Abby, I forgot to charge my phone last night. The battery is going to die. Tony will call you tonight, yes?"

She waited for Abby's agreement then hastily disconnected the call.

"Well, I _was_ going to take you to lunch to celebrate the good news, but since you threw me under the bus to her, I think it should be your treat."

"If that is all it takes to make you agree to be the one to call her back, it is a deal."

* * *

"Earth to Ziva."

The mention of her name wretched her from her thoughts and she looked at her partner quizzically. "Yes?"

Tony rolled his eyes at her and pointed at the entertainment center. "Movie finished while you were in lala land. Are we watching another?"

She checked her watch and reluctantly shook her head. "No, I should go. We have to be at the office at 0800 tomorrow and I still have to pack. I wish he had told us where we are going so I would know what to bring."

He shrugged as he stood and stretched. "Bring a little of everything. Pants, shorts, t-shirts, tank tops, a swimsuit, and a sweatshirt. That should pretty much cover you for anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere. It's pretty much what I did."

She nodded as she retrieved her keys and cell phone from his coffee table. "That is actually a good idea. Here's another: bring your bag tonight and we can put it in my car when you drop me off. That way you do not have to worry about it when I pick you up in the morning."

He shot her a glare at the joking insult but hoisted the duffle bag by the door to his shoulder regardless. "I still don't know why you have to drive."

She pulled the door open with a sigh. "Because, your building has a garage and mine does not. I do not wish to leave my car on street for however long we end up being gone. I am much more comfortable with leaving it in the secure garage of a security company where it will be under video surveillance."

He had gotten the door closed and locked while she spoke and was now following her down the hall. "Okay, I get the point. But let's just make sure we make it there in one piece, shall we? I'd hate to have to call in dead on my first day. Wouldn't be good for my image."

Ziva pushed the button with the elevator with more force than was entirely necessary. "My driving is not _that_ dangerous. I have been more careful since we quit, too. I do not have a badge to help me get out of tickets any more. And without that my weapons tend to make LEOs nervous too. I much prefer not to be frisked by a stranger so I am being more cautious."

She stepped into the elevator as the doors opened and he was right on her heels. "Point taken, but I still reserve the right to squeal like a girl in the morning if the need arises."

* * *

AN: Sorry guys. Sebastian got writer's block and I haven't been feeling too well the past few days. And since JenJen isn't reading this story, I don't have anyone harping on me to update. Feel free to bug me via PM or Facebook to motivate us. Again, I'm sorry for the long delay. I promise to get the next one up within a few days. Probably Sunday.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Sorry for the continued delay guys. For those of you not following us on Facebook, I totally forgot when I posted the last chapter that I had a family affair to attend to on Sunday, so I didn't get to write then. And, I dunno what's up with him, but Sebby is in a funk. Add that to the fact that the weather is aggravating an old arm injury making typing either difficult or painful, and we've pretty much been spending our evenings curled up in bed, watching NCIS from the beginning. You will notice a lack of a Muse's Note on this chapter. Sebastian is being completely non-communicative at the moment so I guess I'm on my own here.

* * *

Ziva slammed the bathroom door behind her a little harder than was necessary as she exited it. She and Tony had gotten the…how had he put it? Right, the short end of the sticks when it came to accommodations. They had been the last training team to arrive at the company's facility in Rural Idaho (the other teams having arrived the previous day) and had been stuck with the last available cabin. It had been left unoccupied because the hot water tank was on the fritz so the shower she had just taken had been tepid at best.

"I take it the stories of our crappy water heater were in no way exaggerated?" Tony's voice nearly made her jump as she'd been alone in the cabin when she'd entered the bathroom.

"Yes. This is going to be a long two weeks if they do not get it fixed. I do not mind getting sweaty and dirty, but I would much prefer a hot shower to wash it off at the end of the day." She reached into the bag sitting open on her bed and started unpacking the contents.

Tony shoved himself from his own bed. "The maintenance guy said the part has been ordered and should be here in the next two days. I'm sure you can tough it out that long, My Ninja. Or there is still that offer from the guys next door for you to use their shower. And beds."

Her hands froze around a hardcover book and her head snapped to the side to glare at him. "I'm sure after practicing take downs this afternoon, that offer no longer stands."

Tony grinned back at her, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I might have mentioned to them that you snore too."

She knew he was joking but threw the book in her hand at him anyway. He easily caught it and moved to set it on her nightstand. "I think surviving the cold showers will be easier than having to share a confined space with you for two weeks."

"Well, you're in luck there. I don't think we'll be here much. In fact, we won't be here in two minutes. We have to go over to the main building. We have to make up for what we missed yesterday afternoon and this morning. Luckily we get to skip the lecture on the exactly where our authority legally ends since they're pretty sure we already know that, but orientation is, apparently, required. And it starts as soon as we get back over there." His eyes raked up and down her form and his grin once again widened. "You _may_ want to pull on some sweats. I have a feeling the instructor might like it a little too much if you show up wearing _that_."

She glanced down and sighed. In anticipation of curling up in bed to read, she had changed into shorts and a tank top. She pulled her sweatpants and hoodie from her bag and pulled them on followed by socks and her boots. "Come on, Tony. Let's go get this over with."

* * *

A smile played on Ziva's lips as she walked from the cabin to the main building for breakfast. Tony had shouted to her that he was leaving while she showered after her run, so she was walking by herself, and that was fine with her. While she liked her urban runs, the path she had taken through the woods today had been delightfully challenging and serenely quiet.

As she approached the door to the main building, she paused with her hand on the handle to listen. The practice was mostly out of habit, but this time also fueled by curiosity about their training companions. The conversation inside the building, however, was not what she was expecting.

"So, DiNozzo, level with us. That partner of yours: you're hitting that, right?" Ziva recognized the voice as one of the guys who had propositioned her the previous evening and scowled. She had half a mind to march in there and level the guy, but chose to peer through the window instead.

What she saw surprised her. She had expected Tony to brush the comment off or crack a joke, but instead he launched from his chair and knocked the other man out of his in one smooth movement. Two of the other men grabbed Tony, but he quickly put up his hands and his shoulders relaxed.

"Hey, I'm cool. But you…" He jabbed a finger at the man sitting on the floor wiping blood from his lip. "_You_ stay the hell away from my partner. And I damned well better not hear anyone else talking about her like that. She is more qualified for this job than any of us, and she took all of you down last night without breaking a sweat. You _will_ show her the respect she deserves. Am I clear?"

The rest of the room's occupants murmured their agreement as Tony returned to his seat and focused his attention on the food before him. Ziva waited a few minutes before she pushed open the door and strode through it, careful to seem as though she knew nothing of what had just transpired.

She helped herself to a bowl of oatmeal and some fresh fruit then joined Tony at the table where he now sat alone. He shot her a smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. She forced herself to ignore his tension. "So, do you remember what they said was up first today?"

He was more playing with his food than eating at this point. "Evidence collection. Should be an east A for us. Then this afternoon is marksmanship. That might be difficult for you considering the point will be to disable while leaving the target alive."

She kicked his shin under the table, although much more softly than she normally would have. "Very funny. But if we tape your hat to the target, you should do just fine, yes? It seems you can't pass up an opportunity to add ventilation."

This time the smile that spread on his face was genuine and she saw some of the tension ease out of his frame. "I'll have you know that I haven't shot holes in my cover in more years than I've known you. But when was the last time you managed to neutralize a suspect without permanent damage?"

Ziva shrugged as she popped a grape in her mouth. "I generally hit exactly where I mean to. Even with paperclips."

* * *

AN: Sebby is starting to feel just a bit better. The whole thing of making the paperclips a recurring theme was even his idea. Going to try to get another chapter up before work on Thursday, but I make no promises. Also, I am going to try very hard to get this wrapped up in a nice neat little box by month's end because my life is going to get very crazy soon. Also, once again, please check out our Facebook page and send us some ideas for our next stories. The link is on our profile!


	5. Chapter 5

AN: While I am trying for the whole "posting two days in a row" thing, I make no guarantees. Sebby is now responding when directly asked questions and even made a snarky comment about a fic I was reading earlier. I take this as a great improvement, but I won't let him loose on the fic unsupervised just yet. That said, he would like to make an attempt at some fluffiness for you all, so here we go.

MN: Sorry guys. I just don't even know what's wrong with me. So, uhh, also, a bunch of you have posted super kind reviews. Thanks and we love you! Reading them has helped me feel better.

* * *

As she forced herself to reach out and turn off the water, Ziva sighed. After three days of showers that were getting progressively colder, their hot water heater had finally been fixed that morning. And she was pretty sure she had nearly drained it. If Tony was lucky, he _might_ get 5 minutes of hot water in before it ran out.

She rung out her hair and pulled back the curtain. After wrapping her hair in one towel, she pulled another around her body and tucked it in at the top to secure it. Then she stepped out of the shower stall.

Normally she would begin her routine of blow drying, flat ironing, and dressing in the bathroom, but they were on a bit of a time crunch and her partner still needed to shower. She gathered her dirty clothes in one arm then retrieved her hair dryer from the counter with the other before opening the door and exiting into the main room of the cabin.

Tony was rooting around in his dresser, his back toward the rest of the room, but had, apparently, heard the door open. "About time. Did you save me _any _hot water?"

Ziva rolled her eyes as she dropped the dirty clothes on the floor and set the hairdryer on her bed. "I believe there is a little bit left, yes. And I had to wash my hair, Tony. It hasn't been scrubbed properly since Tuesday morning."

She could almost hear his eyeroll in his tone of voice. "Sure, Zee-vah. Just don't take forever getting ready. We're supposed to meet everyone in twenty minutes to head to town. And I don't know about you, but I really need to get out of this camp for a couple of hours."

With that he crossed to the bathroom. By the time she heard the shower start a moment later she had plugged in her hair dryer and unwrapped her hair.

When Tony exited the bathroom fifteen minutes later she was dressed and her hair was dry. She hadn't, however, had time for the flat iron so her hair had been brushed out and left with its natural curl. They had been told to dress casually so she'd pulled on a pair of khaki cargo pants and a black tank top. She planned to bring along her black leather jacket as the temperature had been dropping in the evenings.

Tony had apparently had similar thoughts to hers. He was dressing in a pair of jeans and a dark grey shirt and his own leather jacket was already laid across his bed. He tossed his dirty clothes in the growing heap on the floor next to his dresser and sat on his bed to pull on his socks.

Ziva finished tying her boots and stood. "I'm still not sure I understand why dinner and drinks in town is a required part of this training."

He rolled his eyes and sighed. "Because, most of these guys have known their partner since Monday, not for eight years. They need to get to know each other, learn about each other's background, figure out how they're going to interact."

Ziva picked up her jacket as he tied his black boots. "Okay, allow me to clarify, I do not understand why _we_ have to have dinner and drinks in town."

Tony faked a hurt look. "You don't want to spend the evening with me?" His smile cracked through as he stood. "Look, we might have to work with these guys at some point. Plus, the company's paying. So let's go to town, eat some steak, have a drink, and play nice, Sweetcheeks."

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Fine. But I'm only going for the steak. And you better tell…" The name escaped her. "The big guy next door?"

His lip curled back as he replied. "Tines?"

"Right, Tines. You better tell him that I have a paperclip in my pocket, and I will use it." Even after Tony's warnings (which he still didn't know she had heard), the man had been taking advantage of every opportunity to try to impress her.

"If he comes near you, I'll just hand you my knife."

* * *

Ziva exchanged the darts in her hand for the beer that Alex Greeley handed her. The man and his partner, Rhodes, were the only two of the eight men she and Tony were training with that hadn't made over advances at her. So, when Greeley had asked her to play a few games with him, she was comfortable accepting.

Instead of shooting, however, he set the darts back on the table and slid onto the barstool across from her and lifted his own beer. He took a long pull from the mug then set it back on the table. "So, you and DiNozzo, you were federal agents right?"

She nodded. "He was with NCIS for twelve years. I was there for eight, but was only an Agent for the last three years. Before that I was…on loan from Mossad."

Greeley seemed to get the hint and didn't delve further into her past. "It's nice you guys were able to find a job together. After eight years, it would suck to have to break in a new partner."

Ziva laughed. "Yes. Tony and I may not always get along but I know he has my back. And it is easier to have his when I know him so well."

Greeley smiled as he took another sip of his beer. "I imagine so. Rhodes and I are both new to the DC area. We don't really know anyone else so it probably won't take us long to get to know each other."

"Well, if you two ever get sick of one another, feel free to call us. I will gladly loan you Tony." She chuckled along with her new coworker then the fell into an amicable silence.

After a few minutes, Greeley stood and picked up the darts. The man reminded her slightly of McGee and somehow that comforted her. She glanced over to where Tony was shooting pool with Rhodes. For a moment their eyes locked, and he grinned at her before looking back down to take his shot.

* * *

AN: Don't worry. I'm not trying to introduce Greeley as a love interest. Just a friend. I do have a plan for him though. This is a Tiva story, I assure you. Also, for those of you who may be like me and have issues deciding on last names for original characters, I found a great site. The link will be posted on my profile and Facebook page later today. Also, as a testament to how much I want to keep moving on this story, all but the first 200 words of this was typed **after** I sliced open my thumb while fixing lunch. The bandage slowed me down a bit, but I managed not to get any blood on the lappy.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Could it be? Are we actually going to manage to get another update in before the weekend? Seems that way. I will say that between getting a second chapter of 'Seams' up and the fact that this is my full weekend to work, I will be lucky to get the next chapter up Monday or Tuesday. Thanks again for all of the wonderful reviews you guys are leaving. I know we normally reply individually, but haven't really had time.

MN: So, while I'm starting to feel better, AJ has some family crapola going on that means that it will be a struggle for me to keep the angst out of this story in all over in 'Seams'. Apologies if it leaks in.

* * *

The following Friday they were (finally) on their way home. Ziva closed her book and set it on the table beside her. A quick glance around confirmed her suspicions. She and Greeley were the only two people still awake.

The two of them along with their partners had laid claim to a pair of couches in a segmented compartment in the back of the gulfstream the company had sent for the return flight to DC. Rhodes was leaned back on the couch next to Greeley, his head resting on the couch's back and his legs stretched across the aisle and his discarded magazine in his lap.

Tony, on the other hand, was curled up on the couch next to her. At some point he had worked his head into her lap and she had left it there. He had taken a tumble down a hill the previous day while saving her from her own slip and the fall had aggravated his bad knee. He had resisted taking painkillers until they were boarding the plane. She was fairly certain he had been asleep before they had reached cruising altitude.

Across from her, Greeley set his own book down and stood, stretching before speaking quietly. "You need anything? I'm gonna grab a bottle of water from the kitchen."

Ziva nodded. "Water would be great. Thank you."

He disappeared for a moment through the curtain to the kitchenette then came back with a bottle in each hand. He passed one to her before returning to his seat. "He always sleep like that on a plane?"

Ziva suppressed a laugh. "No. Usually he is much more awake and animated. He has talked solid from DC to Tel Aviv before. He just gets really loopy on narcotics. It is better for everyone if he just sleeps it off."

Greeley chuckled softly. "I'd believe it. My last partner was kind of like that. Had a way of babbling through stakeouts that made your brain go numb."

Ziva hitched an eyebrow. Other than herself and Tony, he was the only one whose previous employment had been in law enforcement. "You were a detective, yes? With LAPD? What made you decide to leave and move over two thousand miles for a job with a security company?"

He stared at her for a moment then looked around. When he spoke again his voice was even lower than before. "I, uhhh, I came out to my partner. He didn't take it as well as I thought he would. They were going to force a transfer on me, but by then he had spread it around. Most of the guys didn't want to be partnered with me. I decided a change was in order. But this time, I decided to do it right from the start. I was up front with the boss about why I left and he made sure Rhodes was cool with it before he partnered us up."

She could read the concern on his face and gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "I will not tell anyone." They lapsed into silence for a minute before she decided to change the subject. "Have you found a place in DC yet?"

Greeley shook his head. "Not yet. I only got to town two days before we left for training. I'll be heading back to the motel until I find a place. My stuff is sitting in a storage unit."

Her next words escaped her mouth before she had even thought them through. "I have a spare bedroom that you are welcome to use."

Her offer seemed to startle him and he gestured toward Tony. "He gonna be okay with that? He seems to be pretty protective of you."

Ziva grinned. "He'll be fine. He knows I sleep with a gun under my pillow."

He looked like he was going to chuckle before he realized she was serious. "Wow. You really are kind of a badass, aren't you? I appreciate it. Thanks."

"You are welcome." Ziva felt the angle of the plane shift and sighed. "We must be descending. I guess I better wake him up."

* * *

A sharp rapping on her door woke her and she looked at the clock as her eyes snapped open. It was 0700 on a Saturday morning and she was planning on sleeping in for the first time in ages. She was going to have to kill whomever was banging on her door.

She slid from bed and retrieved her gun before exiting her bedroom and heading toward the front door. She peered through the peephole and was surprised to see Tony smiling back at her. She unlocked the door and had barely opened it when her partner barreled though.

"Why aren't you dressed? You're always up early. I thought we could get breakfast before our run today."

Ziva blinked at him a few times while her brain processed what he said. "I am not dressed because I figured you would not be up for a run with your knee. Why are _you_ up?"

Tony leaned against the door to the coat closet and shrugged. "I slept on the plane yesterday, remember? Then, when you dropped me off I took another pain pill and went back to sleep. So all in all I slept like twelve hours. And I probably won't make it a quarter mile before I crap out on you, but I wasn't about to bail."

"Ziva, everything okay?"

Tony spun toward the voice as Greeley appeared in the hallway, obviously having just gotten out of bed himself. "Woah, My Ninja. Why didn't you tell me you had…company? I would have made myself scarce."

Greeley rubbed his face sleepily and yawned. "Hey, don't change your plans on my account. If you give me ten minutes I can be showered, dressed, and out the door."

Ziva rolled her eyes. It was obvious that Tony had just gotten the wrong idea, and then Greeley had misinterpreted the situation himself. "No one has to go anywhere." She looked at Tony. "Alex is staying in my extra bedroom while he finds an apartment." She moved her gaze to her temporary roommate. "Tony and I have had a standing appointment for a Saturday morning run since we left NCIS."

She watched as Tony looked first at her then Greeley, seemingly trying to decide if she was telling the truth. He must have decided she was because he smiled and crossed to the couch. "Hey, the more the merrier. Slap on shorts and sneakers and join us, Greeley. We're going to go grab breakfast before Ziva embarrasses me."

Greeley looked to her for approval and Ziva shrugged. She did not mind if he joined the run. She had just spent almost two weeks of quality time with Tony, she could use the extra company.

* * *

Ziva had changed quickly, but was now in the bathroom attempting to flat iron her hair so she could get it pulled into a neat ponytail. She heard Greeley reenter the living room where they had left Tony flipping through a magazine. The bathroom door was partially open and she couldn't help but hear the conversation between the two men.

Surprisingly, it had been Greeley to break the silence. "So, thanks again for the invite."

She could tell by his tone that Tony was trying to be nonchalant. "No problem. Ziva is going to be a few more minutes. She has to beat her hair into submission before she puts it up."

Alex laughed at that before responding. "The part of that that amuses me is that she really isn't the 'girly' type."

She heard the magazine land back on the coffee table. "She has her moments. But you do know she sleeps with a gun under her pillow, right? And a knife on the nightstand. And paperclips everywhere. She did tell you she can kill you eighteen ways with a paperclip, right?"

She could almost hear Greeley's eye roll. "She did mention the gun thing, but there's really nothing to worry about. She's not at all my type."

She imagined Tony's jaw going slack and rolled her own eyes. "Really? Because in eight years I can't say that I've met a guy that has said that. Or girl really for that matter."

This time she really could hear Greeley's sigh. "Look, seriously, _you_ would have more to worry about with me as a houseguest than Ziva does."

As she tightened the band around her hair Ziva imagined the light going on behind Tony's eyes. "Oh. Got it. Sorry, I was just…"

"I get it, DiNozzo. She's your partner and your friend. You were making sure you had her back. It's all good."

Ziva unplugged her flat iron and checked herself in the mirror then exited the bathroom. Both men looked relieved to see her walk back into the living room. "Ready?"

AN: Somehow this got a little long. Oh well, the better to tide you all over with. Now, it's 3am on Thursday and I'm going to bed. Later peeps!


	7. Chapter 7

AN: I am going to try desperately to finish this today (Tuesday) but seeing as I am feeling very unwell, I can't make any guarantees.

MN: I'm kinda with her on this one. I live inside her head and her head is currently pounding. So, definitely pardon any flaws in this chapter.

* * *

Ziva felt Tony fidget in his seat next to her. She couldn't really blame him. They were now over an hour into their briefing cramped in a room with over a dozen other consultants on a rainy Friday morning.

From what she had gathered, this was the largest single assignment the company took on each year. The contract was important enough that owner Josh Silvetti himself worked the job and supervised his staff in the field. As Silvetti had explained, a large group of politicians, both foreign and domestic were gathering in DC the following week for a conference.

While they were 'networking' their children were sent to a local boarding school that was otherwise empty for summer break. There would be activities, sports camps, and field trips taking place. Hopefully they would actually get to have a little fun while playing bodyguard to some of the children.

Relief washed over her as she realized their boss was wrapping things up. "Remember, the threat level on this is pretty low, but we really are acting as more than glorified babysitters. We're going to be coordinating with dozens of full time body guards as well as the school's security staff. I need DiNozzo and David to hang back. The rest of you will find your assignments on your desks. Take the rest of the day today and tomorrow off, but make sure you study the files. We meet up at the school at 7pm Sunday."

She and Tony exchanged curious looks as their coworkers filed out of the room. When they were alone with Silvetti, he motioned them up to the front and they stood together, Tony leading the way up the narrow aisle. Silvetti motioned for them to sit directly in front of him and they complied.

Their boss's smile had faded and his voice was serious as he spoke. "The first thing I'm going to say here is that I'm sorry. I wouldn't normally give this assignment to such a new team, but with your background I'm sure you can handle it. And, I really have no other option."

He passed them each a file before he continued. "Delphina and Desi Zavala. Ages seventeen and twelve. Children of a Spanish ambassador. And the biggest problem at this conference. Desi is a sweet kid. Well-mannered and well behaved. His only flaw is that he will blindly follow his older sister. Last year they ditched their handlers and got off the school grounds unaccompanied a record twelve times in seven days. Delphina has no interest in sports, socializing, or sightseeing. When she takes off she can end up anywhere, from a park to a drug alley. And she generally drags Desi along with her."

Silvetti looked up from the file before him to make eye contact with them. "Her father requires that we assign her a female handler and you are the only one I have that speaks Spanish that hasn't had to deal with her yet. The consultants I've assigned to her the last three years have all told me they will quit if they ever see her again."

Ziva nodded curtly. A petulant child should be easy for her to handle. "Is my primary focus to keep track of her or keep her on the grounds?"

"Short of physically restraining her, keep her where she's supposed to be. If that doesn't work, stick to her like glue and call me. I'll call her father's head of security and he will come deal with her. Most importantly, stick together. If for some reason she takes off without her brother, alert me and I'll find him, but both of you stick with her. I don't speak Spanish but Desi knows German so he and I can communicate. Without her, he'll behave until I get there."

He gave them a moment to digest the information. "Any questions?"

Tony shook his head. "Seems pretty straightforward to me, but we'll read the files in detail this weekend."

Silvetti stood. "Don't hesitate to call me with any questions. I'll see you Sunday evening." He turned toward the door then paused and looked back over his shoulder. "If you two can keep track of her for the entire week, I'll put you on the detail for that wedding in Hawaii."

Ziva watched him leave the room then turned to her partner. "Well?"

Tony raised an eyebrow at her quizzically. "Well what?"

"This is generally the point in time at which you would make a joke."

He shook his head, his face serious. "I would never joke when Hawaii is involved."

He managed to maintain his composure until she started laughing then joined her, chuckling as they walked back to their desks. They collected their things and shouldered their bags then headed for the elevator.

Once inside, her partner pressed the button for the parking garage level they were both assigned to, then turned to her. "I say we head back to my place, fix lunch, and dig into these files. If we can make it through them, we can order in pizza and have a movie marathon tonight."

Ziva shrugged. "Make it Chinese and you've got a deal. Should I call Abby and McGee to join us?"

"We're going to have to cancel Sunday dinner on them so we probably should."

Ziva's smile faded at the mention of Sunday dinner. In the two months since she and Tony had returned from training, every Sunday had been 'family dinner night'. The four of them (plus sometimes Ducky, Jimmy, and Breena) would meet at someone's house to share a meal and catch up on one another's lives. They had never missed one and now they would be skipping two. "It was my week to cook. I had planned to make Cholent from scratch."

Tony's smile softened. "I'm sure they'll understand. And you can make Cholent next time."

She forced herself to smile as she stepped from the elevator into the cool but humid air of the parking garage. "You are right." She took a step toward her car as he took a step in the opposite direction. He must have parked on the other side of the garage. "I am going to stop by my apartment and change before I come over."

"I am gonna stop by the store and grab sandwich fixings, some beer, and maybe a dessert for tonight. If you beat me there…" He shrugged.

She understood his nonchalance. When Gibbs had disappeared they had exchanged keys, both believing firmly that someone close by should always have a backup. "I will start reading if I beat you there."

She readjusted her bag on her shoulder as they turned and parted ways.

* * *

AN: So, I was gonna do this and what is now going to be the next chapter as one but then I looked down and BAM! I'm already at 1200 words. So I'm going to break here so I can work on a chapter of 'Strings'. Also, I'm sorry this wasn't up yesterday. I was feeling so yucky that I just curled up on the couch and finished off Season1 of NCIS instead.


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Trying to get this up before the weekend. I'm off work but JenJen and the bestie from HS are coming to visit to celebrate my birthday a week early. But hey, I have nothing better to do before then. Had to turn down extra hours at work because I'm on day 3 of no voice and my own 4 hour shift will be quite long enough to be communicating by whiteboard with customers.

MN: Hey, I'm just happy her head had stopped throbbing. Also, some of the reviews mentioned that Ch 7 felt a little short. We don't generally look at page length when decided to end a chapter, it's more about word count. In that arena, it was really quite up to par with the others (Except for 6 which was ridiculously long).

Disclaimer: We do not own Sherlock Holmes or Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

* * *

As the end credits of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows rolled, Ziva looked around Tony's living room. Abby was curled up in the armchair, fast asleep. McGee, fighting sleep himself, was on the floor in front of her, sitting with his head leaned back against the chair. And Tony, while still awake, was stretched out on the couch next to her, head in her lap.

They had already had a couple of beers each when their friends had arrived, bearing apple vodka. The bottle had been nearly drained throughout the course of the movie and its predecessor after dinner. She had realized Abby was asleep when she'd stopped giggling nearly an hour ago, but hadn't bothered to wake her. None of them were going to be in any state fit to drive any time soon.

Tony sighed and heaved himself off her lap into a sitting position. "We should probably get him off the floor, shouldn't we?"

Ziva nodded and stood, offering her hand to pull him up. Neither of them was particularly coordinated in their current state and he bumped into her causing her to stumble. He managed to grab her arms to steady her, even as they both fought away a bought of giggles.

They moved toward McGee who looked up at the sleepily. Tony poked the other man with his toes. "Come on McTanked. On the couch with you."

After a few false starts, they managed to get him up and over to the couch, where he promptly collapsed into the cushions. Ziva stuck a throw pillow under his head then stood. "Where is your air mattress?"

Tony pulled a blanket from the back of the chair to cover Abby as she did the same for McGee on the couch. "Bedroom closet."

"I will take care of that if you will take the dishes into the kitchen?" He shrugged his agreement at her and began gathering glasses as she turned and walked down the hall to his bedroom.

The moment she passed the threshold, however, she froze in her tracks. The twin bed she had slept in just a few months ago after her father's death was gone. In its place stood an equally simple queen sized bed.

She stood pondering what this meant for several long moments. More moments than she had intended, apparently, because before she had made any further movement toward the closet, he had entered the room behind her.

"Oh, hey, like it? I got it when we got the new job. Dad talked me into it, actually. He said that if I was going to be sleeping in it almost every night now, I should spoil myself. Give myself room to stretch out. I've got to admit, he was right." They stood in silence for a moment then he reached over and grabbed her hand and began pulling her toward the bed, resembling a small child trying to show off their new toy. "Give it a test run. You can sleep there tonight and I'll take the air mattress."

She protested even as she climbed on top of the bedding. "Tony, I am not putting you out of your own bed again. It is very nice. Now let me set up the air mattress."

He pressed a hand on her shoulder to keep her down. "It's fine, Ziva. What kind of host would I be if I didn't offer at least _one_ of my guests my bed? You're sleeping there."

Ziva was suddenly too tired to argue with him. "Fine, but so are you. It is not like we haven't shared a bed before. And it is late and the air compressor is loud."

He opened his mouth to disagree but she shot him a glare and he closed it then rounded the bed to the other side. She managed to maneuver herself beneath the covers and rescue her cell phone from her pocket to be placed on the nightstand before surrendering to the depths of alcohol induced sleep.

* * *

It was a buzzing that pulled her out of slumber. The process was slow because she was very comfortably warm. The sheet beneath her was warm; as was the blanket that covered her. But even warmer still was the arm draped over her waist and the body pressed firmly to the back of hers.

That realization propelled Ziva into consciousness and she panicked momentarily before the previous evening's events came back to her. She was in Tony's apartment. In Tony's bed. And the warm body against hers was Tony's.

She carefully freed herself from the weight of his arm and slipped out of the bed. She retrieved her phone from the nightstand as she padded quietly to the bathroom. A quick check of the cell phone showed her that it was nearly 1100 and also that Greeley had tried calling her. Twice.

She relieved herself and washed her hands, but stayed in the bathroom as she called her temporary roommate back. He answered on the first ring.

"Hey Ziva."

"Hi Alex. Sorry I did not answer. I was still sleeping. We stayed up rather late last night and got rather drunk so we all stayed at Tony's." As she spoke she caught sight of herself in the mirror and feebly attempted to brush her fingers through her tangled curls.

"Sounds like a fun night. I got your note when I got home last night, but I was just a little worried when I got up and you weren't back yet. I also wanted to know if you needed anything from the store. I was going to head out here in a few minutes and I thought there might be something you were gonna need to survive being holed up in a boarding school with a bunch of rich kids for a week."

Ziva grinned and chuckled softly. "Thank you, but no. I will be fine. Wait. Get something for dinner for tonight. I will cook for us. Whatever you would like."

"We could do taco night. Want to invite DiNozzo and Rhodes and have a game night?"

She leaned against the wall. "Sounds like a plan. I'll ask Tony if he's in and let you know. I do have one condition, however."

"Name it."

"I saw 'Twister' in your game collection. Hide it. Tony cannot know it exists."

Greeley's laugh brought out her own. "Deal. I'll see you later."

She disconnected the call then exited the bathroom. She walked through the living room quietly, as not to wake the still sleeping Abby and McGee and entered the kitchen. A quick search yielded all of the ingredients necessary to make a hearty breakfast scramble.

She set to work slicing, chopping and whisking and was just pouring the mixture into a large frying pan when Tony wandered in. He immediately started the coffee pot then filled a large glass with water. He downed the contents before turning to look at her. "Remind me that Abby is never allowed to pour drinks for me ever again. Or bring liquor to my house."

Ziva laughed at him but decided not to aggravate his obvious hangover. "I will keep that in mind. For now, why don't you go wake her and McGee? Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes."

He gave her a sloppy salute before setting down his glass and shuffling back out of the kitchen.

* * *

AN: This one is a little on the short side, but Sebby was itching to get it out. Trying to decide if we should write the game night or not. We never really planned on actually having to develop a character for Rhodes. Thoughts?


	9. Chapter 9

AN: I feel so bad about how long it's been. Life got all nutjob on me but it's finally slowing down. Going to try to get this wrapped up in short order before the new season starts and I get all depressed at the loss of Ziva.

MN: If you guys think it's been rough on you, how do you think I feel? No outlet for my genius for weeks!

* * *

"Are you _sure_ you don't have Twister?"

Ziva shot a glare at Greeley and he managed to keep a straight face as he replied to Tony. "Sorry. Think I gave it to my partner's kids. I do, however, own both Dirty Minds and More Dirty Minds."

She could see her partner's face light up and his grin returned. "I haven't played that in years! Let's do it."

Rhodes shrugged. "Sounds good to me."

"I'll get the games." Greeley quickly pushed back from the table and disappeared down the hall.

Ziva stood and started gathering dishes. "My MP3 player is attached to the stereo. Would you like to set up a playlist, Rhodes?"

The man nodded and exited the dining area of the kitchen.

"I suppose that means that I get to help with cleanup?" Tony's comment was an obvious joke as he was already on his feet, dishes in hand when he spoke.

"I couldn't expect Rhodes to do it. He's a guest after all." She took the dishes from him and piled them in the sink then started attending to the leftovers.

Tony forced a look of shock onto his face. "What, and I'm not?"

Ziva shook her head as she spooned the leftover sautéed peppers and onions into a container. "No. You have a key. You are here at least three times a week. You are no longer a guest."

"Good point."

With Tony's help, it only took a few minutes to put the leftovers away, rinse the dishes, and load most of them into the dishwasher. As she dried her hands, he reached into the fridge and pulled out four beers.

Rhodes and Greeley were already had the game set up when they joined the pair in the living room. They all settled around the coffee table as Tony distributed the beers.

* * *

Hours later, Ziva was rinsing beer bottles. It was fairly late and, since they weren't part of the conference assignment, her roommate and his partner had to work the next day, despite it being the weekend. They had excused themselves: Rhodes to go home and Greeley to his bedroom. She and Tony had volunteered to pick up the living room. He was putting the games carefully back in their boxes while she gathered the beer bottles to recycle.

Once she'd placed the rinsed bottles in the bin, she turned back toward the living room. The sudden realization that Tony was leaning in the doorway startled her and she knew her surprise had been visible.

He grinned at her slight jump. "Good thing there aren't any paperclips in your kitchen. It's never good to surprise a ninja when she's armed."

As she mentally chastised herself, she rolled her eyes. "I just didn't hear you over the running water." She squeezed past him through the doorway, deliberately hip-checking him against the frame in the process.

He chuckled and rubbed hi bicep where it had connected with the molded wood as he followed her back into the living room. "I guess I should get going."

Ziva nodded. "Probably. I'll walk you down so we can figure out tomorrow." She knew it was probably still fairly hot outside so she slipped on her flip flops and grabbed her keys, leaving her jacket behind.

They rode the elevator down in silence, despite her reason for seeing him out. As they exited the building, a light breeze brushed against her skin and forced a light smile to her face. "Wow. As hot as it was today, I did not expect it to become this nice."

Tony took a deep breath, a smile on his face as well. "No kidding. I might just have to go for a walk when I get home."

She shrugged at him. "Or we could just go together now?"

Almost immediately he turned away from his car and started down the sidewalk in quiet agreement. They strolled along leisurely, enjoying another comfortable silence.

They walked several blocks before turning right, going down a smaller side street. After several more blocks, they turned right once again.

It was Tony who finally broke the silence. "So, what time are you picking me up tomorrow to head out?"

"How does 1700 sound? It would give us time to stop for dinner on the way out of town and get there early enough to get settled in before the children arrive.

"Sounds good to me." He once again fell silent as they walked along.

Ziva let her mind wander as they meandered along. She was trying to pinpoint exactly where along the road her best friend had morphed from childish and annoying to mature and supportive and she just couldn't figure it out. The change had been so gradual she hadn't seen it happening.

The realization that they had turned back onto her street brought her thoughts screeching to a halt. As they had walked the temperature had dipped from pleasant to slightly cool and, as they stopped next to Tony's car, she couldn't help the shiver that vibrated her body and sent a wave of goose bumps over her skin.

Her partner reached across the gap between them and ran his hands up and down her arms, the friction and warmth from his skin easing her chill. "Get back inside before you get sick. I'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

Ziva tried the last of the windows in the small suite of rooms they would be staying in for the week. She smiled in satisfaction when it didn't budge. The windows being sealed would leave Delphina one less option for her escape plans.

She rejoined Tony in the small living room. He had been busy setting up sensors on the doors and was now checking the connection to them on his laptop. "We good on the windows?"

"Sealed as the file promised. If she's leaving, she's doing it through the door." She placed the extra sensors in her hand back in the bag the company had provided for them.

"Did we get the final word on lo-jacking the kid?" Tony closed the laptop and stood, stretching.

"Her father gave us the go ahead, but we have to tell her about it."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Well that defeats the point. If she knows there's a GPS unit in the wristband, she'll ditch it before she takes off."

Ziva shrugged. "I agree, but we have to follow his wishes." She glanced down at her watch. "We are supposed to be at the dining hall in ten minutes. Are you ready?"

He closed the laptop and the briefcase it sat in, fastening the locks on the case. "Yep. Let's go."

* * *

AN: I know this is kinda short but I already started working on the next bit and it's too much to add all into one chapter.


	10. Chapter 10

AN: I know I'm still going slowly on this. I'd like to say it's just being brain dead from work, but since I had originally intended this to be a little oneshot I'm playing it by ear here. And a certain muse isn't being of very much help either! This chapter covers a span of almost a week so pay attention to the time jump. Happy reading!

MN: Hey, the deal was supposed to be that I was writing 'Seams' and she was writing this so don't blame me!

FYI: Any conversation in bold type is in a language other than English.

* * *

Ziva plopped herself on the bench beside her teenage charge "**You didn't think you had managed to lose me that easily, did you?**"

She could tell by the look on the girl's face that she actually _had_ thought she had successfully ditched her handler. "**I know I won't be able to convince you to have fun this week, but I am not going to let you wander around DC on your own. It is dangerous and you are not going to get my partner and I fired.**"

They sat in silence for a minute before Ziva stood. "**He is over by the car. We should return to the school before Desi gets worried.**"

At the mention of her brother's name, Delphina finally looked up. With a sigh, she shoved herself from the bench and fell into step beside the older woman. The moment they reached the street she got into the back of the sedan, slamming the door behind her.

As Ziva reached for the handle to the front passenger door, Tony caught her gaze above the roof of the car. He hitched an eyebrow upward at her in silent question. _Any luck?_

She replied with a shake of her head and he answered with an eyeroll.

She wretched the car door open and got in as he did the same. The trio remained silent for the short trip back to the school save for Tony's call to their boss to let him know they were on their way back with their target in tow.

After they had signed back in at the gate, they reparked the company sedan they had used to make their retrieval. Silvetti met them at the edge of the parking lot, assessing them with a sweeping glance before addressing Ziva. "Everything okay?"

She nodded. "Never out of my sight. DiNozzo was right behind us in the car. She came willingly."

Their boss surveyed the teenager once again before nodding. "Good job. Desi's in the cafeteria with the kids from Germany having a conversation that I can't possibly keep up with. Dinner's in a few minutes so why don't you just go find him? I'll take care of the paperwork."

Ziva nodded again in silent acknowledgment. She let Tony lead, following behind Delphina as she dragged along behind him.

When they entered the cafeteria, Desi spotted them almost immediately and rushed toward them, speaking excitedly to Tony. "**You missed the end of the volleyball game. My team won!**"

"**Good job!**" Her partner exchanged high fives with the boy. The pair had bonded already, despite the fact that they had met less than a full day ago, and Ziva found herself slightly jealous of the easy interactions between them.

After finishing his celebration with his temporary chaperone, Desi turned to his sister. **I wish you would have stayed. I scored two points.**"

Ziva had to stifle a smile at that one. The boy was definitely trying to make his sister feel guilty and it seemed to be working.

"**Sorry.**" She at least had the decency to look appropriately chagrined.

Desi glared at her for a moment before turning back to Tony. "Can we sit with Dirk and Dieter for dinner?"

* * *

Ziva sank back on the couch with a sigh of relief. The kids were in their bedroom for the evening, opting to watch a movie while relaxing in their bunk beds instead of craped onto the couch with the adults. In six days she'd had to chase Delphina on one of her unsanctioned fieldtrips a total of seven times, but she'd managed not to lose track of the girl once. Today, for the first time, not only did she not attempt to flee the confines of the school grounds, she actually participated in some of the activities.

Tony plopped down on the couch next to her and groaned. "The next time I consider playing football with preteen boys, please give me a head slap. I'm not sure why I even considered that it would really be flag football and not full contact."

She laughed at him. "Couldn't handle it, huh? What's it like getting old, Tony?"

He shot a glare in her direction. "I handled it just fine at the time. And it has nothing to do with age. My knee is killing me."

She reached over and grabbed his leg. With one quick tug, he was laying down on the couch, his legs laid across her thighs. She gently massaged his sore knee and his face went from pained to surprised and then relaxed in a moment. "You need to be careful. You did hurt it recently."

"I know. I just didn't think about it at the time. I mean, it really was supposed to be flag football, but with kids who have grown up playing rugby and soccer, that theory didn't last long. What did you and Delphina get up to this afternoon?" He had pulled a throw pillow under his head and his eyes were now closed.

"Badminton. She's actually very good. Apparently she's ranked in Europe in both singles and doubles." She had been surprised that afternoon when the teenage girl had managed to beat all challengers on the court until a boy had told her of the girls standing in the sport.

"I'm glad she finally decided to have a little fun. Too bad it was on the last full day though."

Ziva lifted her partner's legs and slid out from under them before depositing them on the couch. "I just hope I can keep my eye on her until Noon tomorrow. Then her father will arrive and _we_ will be headed home to pack for Hawaii."

Tony propped himself up on his elbows to look at her and she crossed the room to straighten the collection of shoes by the door. "You are seriously more excited about that assignment than I am. How is that possible?"

Ziva turned back toward him and stared at him in disbelief. "Have you read that file?" The look on his face told her that he had not. "Some senator's daughter is going to a friend's wedding in Hawaii and he's hiring the escort for her and her boyfriend. Threat risk is so low that it's not even listed in the file. The father thinks he's important, but really, he's fairly politically neutral and hasn't been in office long enough to really piss anyone off yet. It's a cake walk. A coed team was specifically requested and will be acting as the daughter's best friend and her boyfriend. It's pretty much an all-expenses paid vacation to one of the most exclusive resorts in Hawaii. No guns allowed. Show up, hang out with a couple of twenty-somethings, get paid. Do you _know_ when the last time I got to go on vacation was?"

The look on his face slightly resembled that of a deer in the headlights of a car. "Uhhh, a long time ago?"

"I was twelve." She resumed picking up the living room.

"Alright. So, vacation it is. It'll be fun." He laid back down on the pillow and she rolled her eyes.

"Don't get too comfortable there. Unless you're offering me the bed tonight, in which case, feel free to get as comfortable as you like." The second bedroom held only a single full sized bed and since she was the lighter sleeper, she'd volunteered to sleep on the couch in case Delphina had attempted to sneak out.

"Not a chance, Sweetcheeks." He quickly rose to his feet, flexing and extending his leg several times. "Hey, thanks. Knee feels much better."

"You are welcome. Goodnight, Tony."

"Night, Ziva."

* * *

AN: The chapters in this story seemed destined to end up right around the 1300 word mark…


	11. Chapter 11

AN: On to the moment you've all been waiting for: vacation in Hawaii! Hopefully this earns me at least a little bit of forgiveness for the long delay between posts again.

MN: Tony and Ziva can keep Hawaii. We have a current temp of 52F. The window is open, the fuzzy socks are on, the blankie is wrapped around us, and the baggy sweatshirt is standing by! I love fall!

* * *

Ziva opened her eyes at the sound of a glass being set down beside her and raised an eyebrow at the beverage. It looked sweet and was garnished with fruit and one of those little paper umbrellas. She shifted her gaze from the table to her partner. "Isn't it a bit early for a drink?"

It was 1100 hours on their first morning in Hawaii. They had arrived the night before and settled into the hotel. The time change had hit all four travelers hard and they had called it an early night which had resulted in both herself and Tony being out of bed by 6am. She had gone for a run while he had opted for swimming laps in one of the resorts many pools.

After their workouts they had both showered and dressed then met their travelling companions for breakfast. Lorraine Clark, or Rainey as she preferred to be called was actually quite pleasant. She found the assignment of body guards just as ridiculous as they did and had vowed during the flight to make the week as fun for Tony and Ziva as possible, which is why she and Ziva were currently stretched out in lounge chairs on the beach soaking in the sun.

Sun which her partner was now blocking. "Relax. It's just a fruit juice mix and Sprite. We thought you two might be thirsty. You've been out here for an hour."

She glanced to her left to see that Rainey's boyfriend, Seth Wick, had delivered an identical drink and was now rubbing lotion into his girlfriend's back. "Well, in that case, thank you. I thought you two were going to take surfing lessons." She picked up the drink and took a tentative sip.

Tony shrugged as he plopped himself into the chair to her right. "We were. But then we got to the 'you should not participate if' section of the waiver and decided it was a bad idea. They specifically mentioned knee injuries and Seth decided that anything that required him to file his health insurance information was not worth it."

Ziva chuckled then took another sip of the deliciously refreshing beverage before responding. "So what's the plan then? I know we have to attend the meet and greet this afternoon, but what are you going to do until then?"

Tony grinned. "Well, personally, I plan on working on my tan." He pulled his shirt over his head and kicked off his flipflops then turned, bringing his legs up onto the lounger, wincing slightly as he did so.

Ziva caught the grimace and frowned. "Is your knee still bothering you?"

Tony shook his head. "No, it's fine. My back is just a little stiff. That couch in our room has lumps."

The room they had been booked had only a single king sized bed, in keeping with their cover. Ziva had offered to take the couch again, but her partner had insisted that it was his turn. She opened her mouth to protest but he held up a hand. "We'll talk about it later. For now, we are under strict orders from Ducky to enjoy ourselves, and we both know better than to argue with him."

* * *

As they exited Rainey and Seth's room, Tony turned left. Their room was the next one down, but Ziva paused. "I think I'm going to go for a walk on the beach."

He stopped and turned toward her. "You want company? Or did you want some time to yourself?"

She could tell he genuinely wanted to join her and, surprisingly, she didn't feel any pressing need for time alone. "You can join me if you'd like."

He turned to follow her to the elevator. They rode down in silence, then crossed the hotel's gorgeous foyer and exited through a door that exited out to a path that led directly to the beach. When they reached the edge of the sand they both slipped their sandals off, leaving them at the sidewalk. By wordless agreement, they walked to the firmer, damp sand where the waves were lapping calmly at the shore.

Even though it was mid-September, the temperature at night was staying in the mid to upper seventies. As a result, neither of them had bothered to change into long pants as evening had arrived. Ziva was grateful to still be wearing shorts as the warm water repeatedly rushed against her feet and ankles before retreating back into the sea. They walked slowly, both enjoying the moonlit scenery of the beach and the clarity of the stars above them.

They had been walking across the sand for at least ten minutes when Tony broke their silence. "So, I keep meaning to ask you something, but there never seems to really be a right time for it."

She glanced over at him as he spoke. The moon was lighting his face softly and she could tell he was staring straight down the beach. "Alright. So ask."

"What are you going to do if Gibbs comes back? What if everything gets fixed and we get asked to go back to NCIS. Would you?" His tone was far more serious than what she was used to from him.

She pondered his question in silence for several minutes before answering. "I don't know. I loved being an NCIS agent and making a difference, but I find myself growing fonder and fonder of this new chapter in my life as well. I suppose it is something we would have to discuss."

She let him consider her reply for a moment before turning the question back around on him. "What would you do? Would you want to go back?"

"I don't know either, Zi. Honestly, I'm really mad at Gibbs still for disappearing after we did what we did. And a part of me has been feeling burnt out for a while now. I guess it started after what happened to EJ's team and everything we've gone through since just made it worse. By the time we quit, I was just so exhausted. Mentally, physically, emotionally. I'm not sure I have what it takes to do the job any more, but I don't want to let anyone down either. I mean, what happens to you if you go back and I don't? Would they keep you and McGee together or would they split you up? I don't like the idea of someone I don't know being the one responsible for watching your six. And at the same time, I don't know if I'm capable of doing it right myself anymore, not at NCIS."

She stopped walking at the pained tone of his last admission and grabbed his hand so he would do the same. She waited for him to turn and face her before she spoke. "Tony, I _know_ you are perfectly capable in having my back in any way I need you to. But knowing what you just told me, even if I did decide to take back my badge, I wouldn't want you to come back just because of me. The last couple of months, you've reminded me more of the old you. The you that you were before Jeanne."

His eyebrow crooked up at her in confusion and she shook her head. "I don't mean that you reverted to your painfully juvenile ways. What I mean is, you've been happier, more relaxed. You don't seem like you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders anymore. I won't let you give that up for me."

They stood for a few more moments in revelation before Tony squeezed her hand gently then released it. He turned back toward the hotel and started walking slowly in the direction they had come.

Ziva let them continue in silence long enough to process the conversation before speaking again. "About the couch, there is no point in you destroying your back. If we can share your bed, we can share a king sized one."

He opened his mouth to protest but she shot him a glare and he nodded instead. "Okay. Right. Sharing like adults. So, what's on the agenda for tomorrow?"

"There is a women's brunch at 1030 hours. There have been some things arranged for the men as well I believe. I'm not sure about later in the day, however." She was a little surprised to find that they were approaching the hotel already and turned up the beach toward the path where they had left their sandals.

"That had to have been planned by a woman. Strange women don't seem to mind being forced to socialize with one another, but when a whole bunch of guys who don't know each other have to hang out, it's weird." Her partner was now a few strides ahead of her. He reached the sidewalk first and began brushing the sand from his feet as she caught up with him and did the same.

"Tony, you have been shot, stabbed, tortured, poisoned, and infected with the plague. I'm sure you can handle a few hours with some men you don't know." She slid her feet into her shoes and turned toward the door to the hotel, satisfied that any awkwardness between them due to their conversation was now passed.

* * *

AN: This one got a little longer than some of the others, but I really got into their conversation. I have absolutely no idea at this point where this story is going, so I hope you will all continue to bear with me. Hopefully I can get the next bit written soon!


	12. Chapter 12

AN: As I begin to type this chapter, it sits at 7 pages hand written and it has yet to be finished. I think I'm going to be cutting it off pretty fast after what I've got done and have to do more as another chapter. Talk about brain on fire!

MN: We jinxed ourselves on the weather. Was almost 90 today. Can we _please_ get our fall weather back? Kthxbai!

* * *

As Tony wrapped his arm around her, his fingers brushed the sensitive spot on her side. She disguised the twitch as movement to lean into him. He tightened his hold around her waist and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Silvetti wants us to call him ASAP. Can you sneak away?"

She nodded and he released her, walking away in the direction he had come from. She waited for the woman in the group she was standing in to finish speaking then butted in. "I'm sorry ladies. I've just been informed that my boss has been desperately trying to get in touch with me. I need to go call him back."

The middle aged woman to her left snickered. "So it's called 'Calling the boss' these days is it? In my day we just said 'quickie'.

The bride-to-be rolled her eyes, choosing to ignore the older woman's comment. "Doesn't he know you're on vacation? What is it you do anyway?"

Suddenly she was glad her partner had forced her to plan an in-depth cover story. "I'm an executive administrative assistant. My boss probably can't find the flash drive that has the files he needs for his presentation tomorrow. It's in my outbox, clearly labeled, which makes it invisible to a man." She managed to escape amid a chorus of chuckles.

By the time she entered the hotel room, Tony was seated on the couch, their company issued laptop open on the coffee table before him, and her boss's voice was emitting through the speakers. "I'm sending you the folder now."

Her partner clicked on something, presumably to accept the file transfer as she crossed the room to sit beside him. As she sank onto the lumpy cushion to his right, Silvetti's face came into view on the screen. "Great. David, let me fill you in. Your vacation just turned into a real assignment. Senator Clark received a threat at his office today that we feel is viable."

The file transfer completed and Tony opened the folder. The first item to pull up was an image of a typed note. "The gist is pretty much that the senator needs to resign 'or else'. What concerns me are the photos that were included."

As if on cue, Tony opened the remaining images and Ziva's building anxiety kicked up. All of the images showed Rainey. One was clearly taken at her gym, another outside her office, two outside of the family's home, and the final showed her and Seth unloading their luggage from a car at the airport just a few short days prior. "Any suspects?"

Silvetti shook his head. "No, but it's a local postmark from yesterday, so be leery of anyone new who shows up. Stick close to Lorraine and her boyfriend and I'll keep you up to date."

As soon as they had voiced their acknowledgement, he disconnected leaving them in sudden silence. She turned to look at Tony. "So, how should we proceed? Should we read them in?"

He checked his watch and thought for a moment. "It's almost time for dinner. Let's go back downstairs, stick close to them until after dinner. When the event breaks up, we'll get them alone for a few minutes and give them the basics before the parties tonight."

She stood and stretched. "Sounds good to me. If we're gone too long, people will get the wrong idea."

As he rose himself, a grin spread on his face and he waggled his eyebrows. "Oh really? What did you tell them you were going to do?"

Ziva rolled her eyes as she crossed to the door and wretched it open. "The truth! That I was calling my boss. But at least a couple of them didn't seem to believe me. Could have something to do with the way you grabbed me."

He closed the door behind him and followed her down the hall. "Hey, you're the one that snuggled into me."

She pushed the button for the elevator harder than was necessary. "Because you always hit that ticklish spot on my side! It wouldn't look right if I jumped away every time you touched me."

The car arrived and she stepped in and punched the button for the first floor so quickly that he barely managed to follow her before the doors closed. "See. It's much better for them to think that we're sneaking off for a little afternoon delight than to know you're ticklish."

She shot him a glare, but the opening of the elevator doors forced her to hold her tongue. A throng of people, all seemingly related pushed into the small space with them, shoving and jostling until he was pressed tightly against her in the corner. He looked down and grinned.

"I swear on my Abba's soul, if you say one word, you _will_ find out how many knives I can conceal under this dress." Her voice was low, but the way his mouth snapped shut confirmed he had heard her.

The ride to the lobby seemed excruciatingly slow. Finally, the doors opened and the family spilled out. She pushed Tony away from her and stepped around him to exit. His longer legs allowed him to catch up to her easily and he reached out and snagged her hand with his as they approached the banquet room where dinner was being held. "Smile Sweetcheeks."

* * *

The room was empty, but as she entered she noticed that the door to the balcony was open. She slid her shoes off and went through the open door. Her partner was in one of the two loungers that resided on the small deck. He was staring up at the stars and didn't move to look at her as she moved to lean on the railing. "Did you enjoy the bachelorette party?"

After the group dinner, the event had divided up. The men headed out to a bar with the groom while the women had stayed in the banquet room for drinks and games. "It was tolerable. I am, however, surprised to see you back so early."

Somehow he had managed to stand and had moved to be next to her without her noticing the movement until he was directly beside her. "One of the groomsmen can't hold his liquor. Seth and I volunteered to haul him back and dump him in his room. Neither of us was really feeling it."

She understood the feeling completely and nodded. "I am fairly sure that after about an hour, Rainey was only staying to be polite. I must admit, she is handling the entire situation fairly well. I was hesitant to let you show her the pictures, but she responded more calmly than I had anticipated."

The breeze blowing in off the water was cool and he was standing close enough to her that she could feel the heat from his skin seep into her as he nodded. "Yeah. She's got a good head on her shoulders."

They lapsed into silence as they watched the waves lap against the sand at the water's edge. They stayed shoulder to shoulder enjoying the view until she yawned. "I am glad tomorrow is a day to relax. Rainey said she wants to sleep in and we both thought it sounded like a good idea to rent a boat and head out to that island the housekeeper told us about. We can pack a picnic and just enjoy some quiet time. Another couple may join us."

She pushed back from the banister and he followed her inside, closing the door and locking it behind him. "Now _that_ sounds like vacation."

* * *

Ziva was enjoying the feel of the sun on her skin, but, despite her attempts to unwind, she found herself straining to listen for any sounds of an approaching boat motor.

"Relax." Tony's voice was little more than a murmur in her ear.

Rainey's sorority sister, Jill, and her husband, Frank, had joined their little outing, so they were in character. Currently she was nestled between Tony's legs, leaning against him as a fallen tree supported his back. She made a conscious effort to relax against him and his arms snaked around her. She tuned back in to the conversation just in time to realize that Jill was talking to her. "So, how did you two meet Rainey?"

She plastered what she hoped was an interested look on her face and forced a smile. "I work as the assistant to an executive of the company that handled her father's IT needs during his campaign. We met at a function and hit it off. When she found out that our vacation plans had fallen through, she insisted we join her here since her parents couldn't make it."

"And we can't thank you enough, if we haven't mentioned it already." Tony had butted in seamlessly and she was grateful for it.

"That sounds like her. What about you two? How did you get together." It was hard to tell who the woman was looking at behind her dark sunglasses.

"We actually work together. My boss is her boss's partner. After _years_ of late nights, early mornings, and weekends of overtime in the office, I finally worked up the nerve to ask her out. Two years later and I keep asking and she keeps saying 'yes'."

It took a decided effort not to roll her eyes at his story, but Jill seemed to lap it up. "That's _so_ adorable! I have to say, I wouldn't have guessed you had been together that long though. I mean, you can't keep your hands off each other. In fact, I can't recall a time this week that I've seen you together that you weren't touching. But, at the same time, I haven't seen you kiss once so it's like you're still in that stage where true PDA makes you uncomfortable."

She felt Tony shift uncomfortably behind her and decided to take pity on him. "That's just because of my culture. In Israel, people don't openly show that kind of affection around others they don't know very well. He is very considerate when it comes to my culture and religion."

Jill smiled widely at them. "Aww! That's so sweet. So what do your parents think of your relationship? Some people can be uptight about their kids dating outside of their own culture."

Ziva thought that she was getting awfully personal but once again her partner slipped in and rescued her. "My mom passed away when I was a kid, but my dad loves her. He is always on and on about how I just need to marry her already or he's going to do it himself."

The other two couples laughed, but she shook her head. "He is not joking. His father has proposed to me twice now."

This time it was Jill's turn to shift uncomfortably. "Wow. So, uh, what about your family? Do they feel the same."

Tony's arm tightened around her but she patted his knee to let him know it was alright. "I lost my mother when I was young too, and my father was…he died unexpectedly early this year. But our last conversation about Tony was very pleasant."

"Really?" His voice was surprised behind her. "Because _my_ last conversation with him wasn't. In fact, I'm pretty sure it was categorically hostile in both directions."

She mentally berated herself. She should have known that her partner would be able to tell that she was being just as genuine as he had been. She shifted and twisted until she was looking at him, their faces close together. She dropped her tone to a near whisper. "If you want I will tell you about it sometime. But not now."

He stared at her for a long moment then nodded. Seth seemed to sense the sudden tension and popped to his feet. "So, hey, who's up for a swim?"

* * *

AN: Seriously, that was all written already except for the shift and twist on. Holy hell Sebastian. No wonder my right arm hurts!


	13. Chapter 13

AN: Several of you have requested that we write the conversation between Ziva and Tony about her dad, so we're going to try. Sorry if it's disappointing.

MN: Once again circumstances have required the combination of Benadryl and Excedrin Tension Headache (which has a decent amount of caffeine) so any minute now things are going to get special. Hehehehehehe. That's how this whole story started too….

* * *

Finally satisfied that she had gotten all of the sand removed from her body and hair, Ziva turned off the shower. She stepped out, wrapping one towel around her body and another around her hair. She had let Tony have the first shower so she took her time brushing her teeth, blow-drying her hair, and changing into her pajamas.

When she finally exited the bathroom, she once again found the hotel room empty and the balcony door open. She stepped out into the breeze and moved to lean against the rail next to her partner. "We should think about going to bed soon. The wedding is tomorrow so it will be a long day."

He nodded but made no move to go back inside. "We going to finish that conversation from earlier?"

She sighed. Part of her had been hoping he would forget about the whole thing. "Alright. I said I would tell you about it." She shoved back and moved to one of the loungers, curling up on it.

He followed her, sitting where her legs would have been were they stretched out in front of her instead of pulled tightly to her chest. "So, for honesty on my part. The last words I said to your father were a couple of years ago and something to the point of him not being worthy of having you in his life. I told him he was poison to you."

She nodded. "I know. He told me before…" She took a steadying breath. "And he told me what he said to you too. But then he told me that he was lying when he said it. That night, he told me that he thought you were right. He agreed he hadn't been the father that I deserved to have."

He let her have a moment of silence and she needed it. The wound of her father's death was still harsh in her chest and she was trying so very hard not to cry. When she had once again bitten back the tears, she spoke again. "He told me that he thought _you_ were the kind of man I deserved to have in my life. He said that you were loyal and protective, and that he could tell how much you cared for me by the way you had spoken about me to him. He said that he was grateful that you were part of my life." She chose to leave out the part where he father had told her she should wake up realize what she had before she lost out on the chance for true love with her partner.

They sat together in silence for several minutes, both looking anywhere but at one another. Finally, it was he who spoke. "Thank you. For sharing that with me, I mean. I know it's not easy for you to talk about him."

She nodded. "Most of the time it's not. But it wasn't all bad. I have some wonderful memories of him from my childhood. I try to focus on that and on what he was trying to do before he died. And I try to believe that he really did want to try to repair our relationship." Despite herself a tear slipped from her eye to slide down her cheek.

He reached over to brush the moisture from her cheek with his fingers. "How could he not have wanted that? He may have been lousy at expressing it, but he loved you. Of that I have no doubt."

She nodded, the movement rubbing her cheek against his palm which had lingered against her face. "Thank you, Tony. For always being here for me."

He grinned at her then. "Always. I did tell your father I would never stop protecting you, even if it was from him."

"He did not tell me that." She dropped her head slightly. If her father had hidden that comment of Tony's, what else had he kept from her

"He probably forgot. It was shortly after I said it that I tried to take a swing at him. I still think Gibbs should have let me hit him." His hand had moved from her cheek, but only so far as to play with one of her untamed curls.

"It probably would have done him some good." They once again lapsed into silence until the breeze picked up, carrying cooler air with it and she shivered.

He stood suddenly and held his hand out to her. "Come on, Ninja. Big day tomorrow. Let's get some sleep."

* * *

As was usual when she was focused and alert, Ziva sensed Tony approaching before he actually made his presence known to her. This sixth sense had her prepared for the glass of wine that suddenly appeared in front of her. She accepted it from him and brought it up to sniff as he lowered himself into the seat beside her, sitting sideways to face her.

The wedding ceremony had been beautiful. The weather had cooperated and the couple had exchanged vows, rings, and kisses on the beach before the guests moved inside for the reception. Dinner had been delicious and comprised almost entirely of traditional Hawaiian cuisine. Now the bar had been opened as the tables were being cleared. She knew that soon the DJ would start the music and all of the traditional wedding dances would commence.

She set down the glass and reached over to adjust her partner's tie. "I thought you were sticking close to Rainey and Seth?"

He brought his own glass of wine to his lips and took a sip before answering. "They're straight behind you about twelve feet, talking to the mother of the bride. I can see them from here."

A few minutes later, their charges rejoined them at the table as the Emcee began speaking. Ziva tuned him out, instead once again scanning the ballroom for anything out of the ordinary. Satisfied that nothing had really changed in the few minutes since her last look, she turned back to the table and picked up her wine glass, finally taking a sip. The liquid inside was sweet and just slightly tart and she recognized it immediately.

Her partner didn't miss the smile that touched her face. "I take it I remembered correctly?"

She let the smile spread. "You did. I'm impressed. Paris was a long time ago and you only heard the name once."

He shrugged as he took a sip of his own. "I remember that I ended up drinking half of your glass because it was so good. I'm not a white wine person, but this particular one has my stamp of approval. When I saw they had it at the bar, I had to order it."

"Thank you, Tony."

* * *

The reception was winding down. Those with children had already left as had most of the older attendees. Raney and Seth were wrapped in one another's arms on the dance floor, but she had lost track of Tony. The hairs raised at the back of her neck and a moment later he stepped into her peripheral view.

"Everything looks pretty quiet." He reached down and grasped her hand that had been resting on the table and pulled on it gently. "Come on. We haven't danced all night, Sweetcheeks."

She rolled her eyes but let him drag her to her feet. "Alright, one dance. But that is all."

As he led her to the dance floor, the song changed. This time she recognized the song immediately and stiffened as he pulled her into his arms. "I asked him to play it. I figured it was the best way to guarantee I'd get a dance from you."

She let herself relax in his arms and he pulled her tighter against him. "All you had to do was ask, Tony. The song wasn't required."

"Our song." His correction came with one of his thousand watt smiles and she returned it.

She lost herself in the music and in the feel of his arms around her. For once she didn't worry about anything; she just let herself enjoy the moment. As the song came to a close, however, he didn't release her. Instead he pulled her even tighter against him. She looked up to question him but before she could speak he dipped his head to press his lips against hers.

The kiss was gentle, a far cry different from the others they had shared while undercover throughout the years, but somehow more intense. He left his lips against hers for a long moment before drawing back slowly to look at her.

Still shocked by the boldness of his action she stared at him. When she finally found her voice and opened her mouth to speak, she was interrupted.

"Hey guys, ready to head upstairs?" Rainey seemed to have no clue as to what she had walked into.

Ziva forced a smile onto her face. "Sure. Let's go."

* * *

AN: I know, I am cruel, but it was getting a bit on the long side and I thought that was a good stopping point.


	14. Chapter 14

AN: I know, I know. We are cruel individuals. We are going to start bringing this story to its conclusion. And just for the record, as far as this story goes, the season premiere didn't happen. From the season finale on, it's completely AU.

MN: In an effort to not leave people hanging for so long, we will not be starting another story until Seams is also completed. That is going to give us some time to think about a new story idea. Any suggestions? Feel free to PM us with requests!

* * *

As she entered their room, Ziva's heart leapt into her throat. She knew she was going to have to handle Tony and what had happened between them on the dance floor downstairs and she was still at a loss for how to do so. They had escorted Rainey and Seth to their room almost wordlessly, letting the couple carry the conversation and answering minimally when needed. Now, as he closed the door behind them, she knew she had to say something.

She turned to look at him but his eyes were cast downward. Before she could decide what to say, his mouth opened. "I'm sorry, Zi. I crossed a line and I shouldn't have."

She took a step closer to him, placing herself just a few feet in front of him. "Why did you?"

His eyes drew up to meet hers and she could see the tumult of emotions swirling behind them. "The same reason I showed up at your apartment when Michael was there. The same reason that I came after you in Somalia. The same reason I went with you to Berlin. And the same reason I promised to be your friend in the woods a few months ago."

His words made something in her snap. She was tired of running scared. Tired of worrying about what might happen. Tired of hurting both herself and him. "You did cross a line tonight, but perhaps it's a line I should not have drawn."

Confusion swirled in with the mess of feeling already clouding his face. "What are you trying to say, Ziva."

She stepped forward once again, nearly bringing her body in contact with his. She raised one hand and laid her palm on his chest. "Cross it again, Tony."

He hesitated for a split second then leaned in to press his lips back to hers. She raised her free hand to wrap around the back of his neck. That seemed to be all the invitation he needed to pull her into his arms. A moment later, she felt his lips part and shifted her own to allow him to deepen the kiss.

The years of built up tension between them suddenly exploded. She undid the buttons on his jacket and he released his grip on her long enough for her to push it from his shoulders and arms to crumple on the ground. She loosened his tied then started on the buttons of his shirt but suddenly he yanked back from her and brought his hand up to still hers as the other dropped to her hip. Confused, she looked at him.

He shook his head and dipped back in for another quick, simple kiss before bringing his forehead to rest against hers. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but not tonight. Not like this. If we're going to do this, we're going to do it right."

She nodded in understanding, not trusting her own voice in the moment. He pressed yet another fast kiss to her lips. "It's late, why don't you go change for bed?"

At her second nod he released her hand and dropped both of his hands to his sides. She gathered the shorts and t-shirt she had been sleeping in and retreated to the bathroom.

When she exited back into the room several minutes later, he was already sitting on the edge of the bed, his suit now draped over the back of a chair. He was clad in boxers and a t-shirt and his hair was already tousled. Had she done that?

She crossed to the other side of the bed, placing her knife and cellphone on the nightstand before pulling back the comforter. By the time she had settled in under the covers, he had clicked the light off and laid down himself.

She rolled onto her side to face him, and, even in the soft moonlight streaming through the curtains, could tell he was staring at her as he lay facing her. He scooted forward to the middle of the bed and she followed his lead. When they were only a couple of inches apart, his hand came up to brush the hair from her face back and tuck it behind her ear. He leaned in and pressed another sweet and gentle kiss to her lips then retreated back once again to look at her.

She placed her palm against his cheek. "Goodnight, Tony."

He turned into her touch, briefly pressing his lips against her palm. "Yes it is." With that he wrapped his arms around her, drawing her against him, and settled in for sleep.

* * *

Ziva rolled her eyes but couldn't help chuckling along with the other women. While a fair number of the wedding's guests had left that morning, they were among a small group that was staying one additional day. Currently the women were sitting on the beach in lounge chairs or on towels, watching as the men and children played Frisbee.

What had been caused their current amusement was her partner. He had somehow managed to trip on his own feet, sending him sprawling face first into the sand, but had still managed to catch the plastic disc.

Her cellphone rang on the small table beside the chair she was occupying and she reached over to grab it, smiling as she saw her roommate's name on the screen. She answered and brought the devise to her ear. "Hello?"

"Hey Ziva. Having a good time?"

"As a matter of fact, yes I am." The statement was completely true and brought a grin immediately back to her face.

"Good. I was just wondering if you were going to need to be picked up at the airport tomorrow. As it stands right now, Rhodes and I are going to have the day off."

His thoughtfulness was touching and her grin widened. "Thank you, but the Senator is sending a car to the airport. We're going to be dropped off at the office and my car is there. I appreciate the offer though."

"Alright. Well invite DiNozzo to dinner tomorrow. Rhodes is coming and there will be plenty. You guys can tell us what we missed."

"I will do that. I'll see you when I get home tomorrow, Alex." She disconnected the call and set her phone back down. She looked over to Rainey to find the other woman staring at her. "What?"

Rainey kept her voice low so that no one else could overhear. "Alex, huh? Boyfriend? Fiance?"

Ziva shook her head. "No. Roommate. Wanted to make sure Tony and I didn't need a ride home from the airport tomorrow."

Rainey eyed her suspiciously for a moment then seemed to decide she was telling the truth. "Well that was nice of him. I can't believe we have to go home tomorrow."

She nodded and leaned back in her chair. "I know. This has been an incredible week."

She didn't get a chance to hear Rainey's next thought as the volume level notched up with the return of the men and children from their game. Tony was still covered in sand from his tumble and, as he approached her chair, began pulling his shirt over his head. "A bunch of us are going to go for a swim. You ladies coming?"

Ziva nodded and pulled her sunglasses off to join her cellphone. "That sounds wonderful."

She accepted Tony's hand and he pulled her to her feet quickly. He kept hold of her hand and led her down to the water amid a gaggle of excited children. As she followed him into the warm water, she realized that she was once again grinning. Yes, she was going to miss Hawaii when they returned home, but for now she was going to fully enjoy their last day.

* * *

AN: A bit on the short side but too long to add the next bit. Next chapter means going home and starting to bring our journey to its conclusion.


	15. Chapter 15

AN: Homeward bound! I'm on a writing roll today (Sunday) so hopefully I can continue that trend here, but this likely won't be up until tomorrow.

MN: I have permission for fluff here. :D hehehehehehe

* * *

Ziva strode over to the ambulance where her partner was seated on the back. She pulled the ice pack away from his face and cringed.

"That bad?" She knew he had to be in pain but he was smiling at her nonetheless.

She released the icepack and he brought it back to his face. "It's not good. But his is worse."

She was referring to the man that had attempted to attack Rainey and Seth as they returned to the Senator's house. He hadn't been aware of the other couple in the car and she and Tony had managed to step in before anything disastrous occurred. He had reached the man first, tackling him to the ground. Unfortunately, he had outweighed her partner and managed to land one good blow before Ziva had joined the tussle. He was now being escorted to the emergency room by the police, likely in need of stitches.

"Silvetti on his way?" She had left him with the paramedics to call their boss.

"He is. And I spoke with the lead detective. He wants to get a statement from you before we leave, but we can go down to the station tomorrow for the rest of the paperwork." She placed her hand against the cheek not being blocked by the icepack. "I still think you should go to the hospital."

He kissed her palm quickly and shook his head. "I'm fine. You've hit me harder than that guy did. The real question is, _why_ did he attack them?"

It was Ziva's turn to shake her head. "Rainey ID'd him as a childhood friend. Apparently he's a bit unstable. He was volunteering on the Senator's campaign but was asked to leave after getting in verbal altercations with several other staff members. It was Seth that told him to go, and Rainey backed him up, which is likely why he targeted them."

Tony nodded, then his eyes locked on something over her shoulder. She dropped her hand and turned to see their boss exiting his car. He managed to locate the detective in charge almost immediately and spoke with him briefly before turning to look at them. "I think that's your cue."

She stepped away and headed toward Silvetti as the detective walked toward the ambulance. They passed in the middle, nodding at one another. She finished her journey toward her employer not entirely sure what to expect. In this situation, Gibbs would have subtly inquired as to their wellbeing, all the time appearing as a hard-ass.

"David, you okay?" Apparently his approach was far different from her former boss's.

"Yes, sir. I'm fine." The truth was, she hadn't even been hit at all in the struggle.

"What about DiNozzo? Does he need to go to the ER?" Miles different.

"He'll be fine. He's got a hard head and he's taken worse hits."

He seemed to accept her answer and moved on to asking her to explain again what had happened. By the time she was done, her partner had been cleared by the Paramedics and Silvetti had given her the go ahead to leave. Since the car that had picked them up from the airport was now a crime scene, he had called another of his coworkers to give them a ride back to the office to retrieve her car.

As they drove, she called Greeley. She gave him a brief overview of why they hadn't gotten home two hours earlier as they should have.

"Well I was just getting ready to start dinner so you guys will be just in time." She started to protest but her cut her off. "You guys have got to be starving. Eat quick then you can take DiNozzo home. It'll be faster than trying to order in."

He had a point.

* * *

He was being so quiet on the drive between her apartment and his that twice Ziva had to look over to make sure that Tony wasn't asleep. They remained silent even as she escorted him inside, save for the argument over her carrying his bag. Once inside she set the luggage out of the way as he greeted and fed Kate. As he shrugged out of his jacket, he looked over at her. "You gonna take your coat off and stay a while?"

She felt herself relax just a little. "I did not know if you wanted some time alone." She slid her arms from her jacket and moved past him to hang it beside his in the closet.

When she turned she found herself trapped between himself and the door. "I want some time alone with _you_. No assignment, no psycho stalkers, no work. Just you and me, Sweetcheeks." He leaned in to kiss her quickly but thoroughly then backed off again so fast that he left her standing stunned.

Her shock seemed to amuse him and a grin spread on his face. "I have got to remember that tactic."

He took her hand and guided her to the couch. "I do not think I'm in the mood for a movie, Tony."

He sat down, tugging her to sit beside him. "Good. Because it wasn't on my agenda for tonight."

She angled herself on the couch to face him. "What _is_ on your agenda?"

He reached over to tuck a wayward curl behind her ear. "For starters, talking. I told you that I want to do this right, and that means communication. Lots of it. I want to know where your head is at. Are you still okay with this?"

She reached over and retook his hand, squeezing it gently. "Honestly, I'm scared of this, of what it could change. But I don't want to go back."

He smiled and gave her hand a returning squeeze. "Good, because if you had said you had changed your mind, I'm pretty sure I would have just keeled over."

He leaned into her and kissed her again, this time much more slowly. She lost herself in the sensation of his mouth against hers so much so that she didn't realize his hands had drifted to her waist until he had already pulled her most of the way into his lap.

She let him guide her until she straddled his thighs. His hands shifted to grip her butt firmly as hers gripped his shoulders. What had been, a couple days prior, a sudden explosion of passion this time started as an ember and grew slowly into a roaring inferno.

Just as she had in Hawaii, she brought her hands up to the buttons on his shirt and, just as he had done before, he pulled back and stilled her hands with one of his own. She looked at him in confusion and he perplexed her further by chuckling and leaning back in for a quick kiss.

"I told you, Zee-vah. We're doing this right." He lifted her to her feet then stood as well, his hand still latched onto one of hers as he led her to his bedroom.

* * *

As she lay with her head on Tony's shoulder, Ziva traced random patterns on his chest while he gently stroked her back. With a sigh she finally broke the comfortable silence they had been enjoying. "I really should probably get home. I'm not even sure I have any clothes clean to wear to work tomorrow. And I'm pretty sure Abby will notice if everyone shows up at my apartment and I'm not there."

She had brought him home on Thursday night and the only time they had left one another's arms since was to make a trip to the police station and then the office to file paperwork. Silvetti had granted them the remainder of Friday as well as the weekend off to allow them to recover from their jetlag and afford Tony's eye some time to heal.

Now it was late on Sunday morning and she knew that she needed to go home, but was finding it nearly impossible to pry herself away from him. She felt as much as heard his answering sigh. "You're probably right. I _know_ I don't have much in the way of clean laundry. I should probably do a load or two before dinner."

Despite his agreement with her, neither of them moved to get up. "If we both got started on our laundry now, I could probably make it over before everyone else showed up for dinner."

That idea brought a smile to her face and she expanded on it. "And since you'll have plenty of clean laundry available, you should repack your ready bag and put it in your car. Just in case you were to suddenly not be able to make it home one night and have to work the next day."

"That's probably a good idea."

They both laughed as she finally pulled herself into a sitting position and stretched, raising her arms above her head. When she looked back over at Tony, he had an odd look on his face. "What?"

He took a deep breath and shook his head. "If you stretch like that again, neither of us is going anywhere or getting anything done and we'll both be going to work tomorrow in dirty clothes."

The low tone of his voice held more than a little innuendo and she smiled but moved to slip out of the bed before she decided to test that particular theory of his. It took five minutes for her to locate her clothes and put them on and then another ten for her to say goodbye to her partner.

As she headed down the hall toward the elevator, even she noticed the spring in her step.

* * *

AN: I know, I know. You are all disappointed in the lack of smuttiness, but we (read me) just weren't feeling it. Besides, to do smut proper I have to abbreviate here and load the story on TWCS, and that's a lot of work for a writer with an aching back on a weeknight. Maybe next fic!


	16. Chapter 16

AN: So JenJen got bored and started reading this so now she's nagging on this! I just can't win for losing with her!

MN: Fliffity fluffity flufferton!

* * *

Ziva checked that her towel was fully secure before exiting the bathroom. She had heard the apartment door open a few minutes ago, indicating that Greeley was home. She had managed to start a load of laundry, get dinner going, and clean up the apartment. As soon as the washer had stopped, she had tossed her clothes in the dryer then gotten in the shower. She had plans to start another load of laundry before her friends arrived.

When she left the bathroom, she could hear her roommate's voice filtering down the hall from the living room. Apparently he was on the phone. She got dressed quickly then returned to the laundry room to start her second load. By the time she entered the living room, Greeley was sliding his phone back into his pocket.

"The prodigal roommate returns. Have a good weekend?" He was grinning at her from his spot on the couch.

She could tell by the way he looked at her that he knew and she blushed. "Yes, I did. Thank you."

He chuckled at her discomfort. "Yes, you really are that obvious. I could tell something was different at dinner Thursday night. You disappearing for the weekend just confirmed it. So, you going to tell me the story?"

She shook her head. "We wouldn't have time. It is a very long one. Abby wanted me to ask you if you are able to stay for dinner tonight. She said that you are part of the family now and she would love to have you share Sunday dinner with us."

The last time Abby had stopped by, Ziva had been in the shower so she'd spent her wait conversing with Greeley and had immediately become attached to the man. He shrugged now. "Can't think of anything I'd rather do."

"Great. It's going to be a crowded table tonight. Ducky, Jimmy, and Breena are all making it. Abby said she's trying to drag another agent, Dorneget, with her. Then McGee and Tony of course. It should be great." A time dinged in the kitchen and she turned to go check the roast.

He followed her and began pulling dishes from the cabinet. "Nine people right?"

She nodded as she reset the timer then began pulling vegetables out and setting them in the sink. "Yes. But you cannot set the table yet. We are going to have to put the leaf in it for everyone to fit. Give me a few minutes and I will help you."

"Alright." He pulled out a cutting board and knife.

They chatted idly as she peeled and chopped. She was nearly done when the doorbell rang and Greeley pushed away from the counter. "I'll get that. Whichever one of them that is, they're early."

She couldn't help but smile as he left the room. She wasn't sure how he'd managed to do laundry and pack his bag already, but she wasn't complaining. A few moments later, she was shocked when it was Abby's voice that came filtering through the house.

"Hi Alex! I know I'm like super early but I haven't gotten to talk to Ziva since she got home so I figured I'd help her get ready and we could catch up. Oh, right! Ned, Alex. Alex, Ned. Ziva in the kitchen?"

Before Greeley could respond, Ziva could hear Abby's boots clunking toward her. She managed to put down the knife and turn toward the doorway just in time to be on the receiving end of an 'Abby hug'. "You're home! And you are tan! How was Hawaii? Tell me about the wedding? Did you get to spend a lot of time on the beach? Of course you did! That's how you got the tan! I missed you guys sooooo much."

"Abby!" Ziva's shout made the Goth pause and release her. "Hawaii was great. The wedding was beautiful. We spent entire days on the beach. And I missed you too." She moved back to the counter to pile the vegetables she had chopped into a large salad bowl.

The scientist followed her to the counter, leaning beside her. "Where's Tony? He usually beats me here. You didn't leave him in Hawaii, did you?"

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "No. He had to do laundry. We had a little security incident when we got home so he spent the weekend nursing a black eye."

Abby's face fell. "What do you mean a 'security incident'? What happened?"

"The couple we were assigned to protect were attacked. Tony intervened and took a rather strong hit to the face. He is fine. I believe that Gibbs has hit him harder." She rinsed the cutting board and knife before realizing that her friend had fallen silent at the mention of their former boss. "Any word?"

She shook her head. "No. I'm really worried. He hasn't been home. McGee and I rigged the door. We'll get an alert if the doors are opened. What if something happened and we don't know?"

Ziva placed a comforting hand on the other woman's pale arm. "Abby, Gibbs is resilient. He would not go down without enough of a fight that someone would have been alerted."

"You're right."

They stood in silence for a moment before the sound of the front door opening filtered through the apartment. "Zi?"

She could hear Dorneget and Greeley in the dining room, meaning that Tony didn't know she wasn't alone. "Abby and I are in the kitchen."

He entered the room a moment later, a grocery bag in his hand. He seemed to be prepared for his own loving assault by the skinny Goth as she launched herself at him and hugged tightly. "Tony! I'm so glad you're okay." She pushed him back to check out his face. "It doesn't look too bad. Does it hurt?"

Ziva could tell he was suppressing a laugh. "It's fine Abbs. I was well taken care of."

She continued studying him. "Something else is different too." Ziva could almost see the light bulb go off behind her eyes. "You look happy. Apparently Hawaii suits you."

"Yes, it does." She finally released him completely and Tony crossed to the fridge. "I brought wine. Figured we could use a couple of extra bottles with the extra bodies tonight."

"Thanks." Before Ziva could say anything else there was another knock on the door.

Tony shut the fridge. "That'll be McGee. I saw him drive past on my way in looking for a spot. I'll get it." He disappeared from the room.

Ziva stuck the salad bowl in the fridge and once again checked the roast, now accompanied by vegetables, in the oven. No sooner had she closed the oven door and set down the hot pad then Abby smacked her in the arm.

She spun to face the other woman. "What was that for?"

Abby grinned from ear to ear. "For not telling me! You and Tony totally hooked up in Hawaii, didn't you?

Ziva's stomach flipped. She wasn't sure how Abby had managed to deduce that from being in the same room as the two them for all of one minute. "Abby, you can't…"

The other woman cut her off. "Don't worry. I won't say anything. But they are going to figure it out pretty soon. Except Jimmy maybe. He can be a little dense. But I'm super happy for you guys."

Ziva smiled. "Thanks, Abby."

* * *

As he handed her a full glass of wine, Tony's fingers brushed hers and Ziva couldn't help but smile up at him. Dinner had gone well, both Dorneget and Greeley melding with the group seamlessly and now all nine of them were crammed into Ziva's living room.

Tony let his fingers linger for a moment before he turned to perch on the arm of the couch next to her and dove back into the conversation. "So, McWriter, how is the book coming along?"

McGee was once again seated on the floor in front of Abby and he shrugged. "Pretty good. Should be done in the next couple of weeks so I can get it off to my editor."

The group idly chatted about McGee's books for a while then moved on, bringing one another up to speed on the past few weeks of one another's lives. Ziva realized it was starting to get late and they still had dessert in the kitchen. Breena had made a delicious looking trifle for the evening and she refused to let it go to waste. She turned to Tony. "Want to help me with dessert?"

He stood. "Sure."

She followed him into the kitchen and set her wine glass on the counter. Before she could do more than turn around, he had pulled her into his arms and captured her lips in a deep kiss. After a few moments he pulled back just enough to separate their mouths and grinned. "I've been waiting for the chance to do that since I got here."

She couldn't help her own answering smile. "I understand the feeling. We really probably should get the food though."

He nodded but kissed her again before stepping back. As she pulled plates from the cabinet, he retrieved the trifle from the fridge. They quickly established a routine. Ziva dished a serving and handed the plate off to Tony who lined them up on the counter. Halfway through, she decided to warn him about their perky friend. "Abby knows. About us. I don't know how but she figured it out."

She heard his sigh and looked toward him. "She promised not to tell anyone."

He took the plate from her hand. "Yeah, so did McGee when he called me out on it. I have no idea how he figured it out by talking to me for twenty whole seconds."

Ziva dished the final serving. "If I did not know better, I would guess that they were spying on us."

"No kidding." He started to pick up a pair of plates, but set them back on the counter then removed the one from her hand as well before gripping it in his and practically pulling her back toward the living room. "I've got a solution."

As they reentered the room, everyone glanced their way, but continued talking.

"Hey, I've got something to say." At Tony's words the conversation stopped and everyone looked at them. "Just to clear the air: Yes, Ziva and I are seeing each other. No, we don't want you to question us about it."

Abby and McGee exchanged smug grins, Greeley avoided everyone's eyes all together, and the rest of their companions stared at them in stunned silence. To Ziva's surprise, it was Breena who broke the tension. "Well, it's about time. Now, what about dessert?"

* * *

AN: There is probably going to be a time jump for the next chapter.


	17. Chapter 17

AN: I know it doesn't seem this way, but there's only 1-2 more after this before the epilogue.

MN: We have decided not to do NaNoWriMo this year. Just not enough time left to plan. Next year, victory will be ours!

* * *

Ziva pulled four bottles of water from the fridge and walked back into the living room. She handed a bottle each to McGee, Greeley, and Rhodes. She waited for Tony to set down the box in his hands and stole a quick kiss before handing him the last.

"Oh come on you two. Wait for us to leave before you start that." Greeley's tone was teasing as was the grin on his face.

"Is that the last of it?" Ziva took Tony's open bottle and took a sip before handing it back.

"Yep. DiNozzo's stuff is all off the truck and my stuff is all on."

It had been two months since they had returned from Hawaii, and nearly six now since they had resigned from NCIS. She was surprised that she had been so comfortable with the idea of Tony moving in. It made sense, really. They spent almost every night together anyway, and Greeley had loved the idea of taking over Tony's lease and having a place of his own.

She leaned against him now and glanced at the clock. "What do you guys say we stop for lunch on the way to unload Alex's stuff?"

Tony's arm wrapped around her. "Sounds good to me." He leaned in to murmur in her ear. "But the faster we get done unloading his stuff, the faster we get back here to celebrate together."

She elbowed him lightly and pulled away. "Let's go."

* * *

As she pushed back from him, Tony tried to swoop in for another kiss, but she deflected. "Stop! I need to get in the shower. I'm filthy." Despite her best attempts to seem serious, there was a lighthearted tone in her voice.

He waggled his eyebrows at her mischievously. "I could come help you. You know, wash your back and all that."

She rolled her eyes but couldn't fight the grin that spread on her face as she escaped into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. Ziva indulged herself just a little longer than normal in the shower, allowing the hot water to soothe the stiff muscles she'd aquired from the lifting she'd done that day. When she was done, she towel dried her hair, not feeling like dealing with the blow drier. Tony had left one of his baggy shirts in the bathroom and she bypassed her own pajama shirt and pulled that over her head and slipped on a pair of panties before exiting the room.

She found him in the living room, carefully organizing his movies onto the shelves he and Rhodes had installed the previous weekend. "I thought you were done unpacking for the night?"

He shrugged as he put the cases in his hand into place. "Just occupying my time while you showered." He turned toward her and a smile instantly spread on his face. "So, _that_'s where my shirt went."

She stepped toward him, placing a hand on his bare chest. "You left it in the bathroom, so I figured you were not using it."

He pulled her against him, wrapping his arms around her. "Keep it. It looks better on you." He dipped his head to capture her lips in a long, deep kiss.

The move left her slightly breathless when he released her and his grin shifted to one of satisfaction. "I ordered pizza. I didn't really think either of us was up for cooking. Personally, I have other things I plan to do with my time tonight."

They were still standing in close contact and she pointedly shifted against him. "Oh? What kind of plans? Organizing your movie collection?"

"Oh no. The movies can wait." He dove in for another kiss, his hands sliding down from her back and under the hem of the shirt to her panty-clad rear. He groaned and brought his lips out of contact with hers. "Are those the pink ones?"

She had chosen them deliberately and she grinned at his reaction. "Yes, they are."

He used his grip on her backside to pull her more firmly against him as he reconnected their mouths. He started backing her toward the hall, and, presumably, the bedroom, but they had only just drawn level with the entrance to the kitchen when a firm knock sounded on the door.

She pushed Tony back and smiled at him. "You get the pizza; I will get a couple of beers." She spun and moved through the doorway before he could respond.

She pulled two bottles from the fridge and opened them. Her meticulous side got the better of her and she stopped to clear the counter of its accumulation of empty water and Powerade bottles before taking the cold drinks and exiting back to the living room. She nearly dropped both bottles when she emerged into the room. "McGee! What are you doing here?"

To his credit, her friend averted his eyes when he noticed her attire. "We need to talk. Did you want to…?" He trailed off, but she understood his implication.

"Yes." She pressed the drinks into Tony's hands then retreated down the hall. She quickly donned a pair of baggy knit pants then returned to the living room. By the time she got there, Tony had pulled a shirt on and he and McGee were sitting in armchairs on opposite sides of the coffee table. There were now a trio of beers resting on coasters between them. She perched herself on the arm of Tony's chair and he shifted to bring his arm into contact with her.

McGee wasted no time in explaining the reason for his unannounced visit. "Abby called me about half an hour ago. Gibbs just walked into NCIS headquarters."

Ziva felt like she had been sucker punched and she felt Tony stiffen beside her as he spoke. "Did she find out where he's been?"

"No. He marched straight into Vance's office and he hasn't left. They have the room locked down, so she couldn't tap into The Director's computer." McGee was staring down at his shoes, rather than attempt to look them in the eye.

They were all given a bit more time to process the information by another knock on the door. Tony once again answered it. He paid the young man who nearly always delivered their pizza and accepted the food without any of his usual chit-chat or gusto. He returned to the living room, setting the box on the table with the untouched beers before resuming his seat.

It was Ziva who broke the silence. "So, what's next?"

McGee shrugged. "I imagine that either nothing will change, or we'll be summoned. Soon."

"Well, they'll have to wait until Monday." Ziva turned to look down at Tony as he spoke and he locked his eyes with hers. "I have plans and I'm not cancelling them because Gibbs decided to show back up after half a year."

She reached down and took his hand. "Agreed. If they wish to speak with us, they can do so next week."

McGee nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Sarah showed up to spend the weekend with me. I'm not going to let them ruin that." After another moment of silence, he stood. "Let me know if either of you gets the call, and enjoy your weekend."

Tony rose as well and moved toward the door with their friend. "You too Tim. And thanks. For the heads up. And for doing it in person."

* * *

The texts had come in barely five minutes after McGee had left. As they had all agreed, she and Tony both responded that they wouldn't be able to make it to their former office until Monday morning. A quick conversation between her partner and McGee had confirmed that he had done the same.

Now it was nearly 0300 and Ziva still hadn't managed to fall asleep. She could tell by the tempo of his breathing that Tony was awake beside her so she rolled to face him. Even in the near darkness she could tell that he had been watching her.

He seemed to read what was on her mind just by looking at her and reached out to pull her to him, wrapping his arms tightly around her. "It's going to be okay. Whatever they say and whatever we decide, it'll be okay. They don't get to change this. He doesn't get to define who we are and what we can and can't do anymore, Zi. We don't owe him _that_ much."

She nodded against his chest. "You're right. We don't. Don't let him make up your mind for you, Tony. You need to do right by yourself for a change. Follow your heart, not his or mine or anyone else's. Promise?"

He squeezed her even tighter. "Promise. And you too? I know you've always felt like you owed him everything, but you've repaid your debt. You deserve to be happy too."

She pushed against him until he loosened his grip so she could pull back to look at him. "I promise." She gave him a gentle kiss then settled back in his arms, suddenly feeling much more relaxed.

* * *

AN: Ahhhh, I just love going from super fluff to super angst, especially when I can legitimately blame it on Bastian. It was totally his idea!

MN: True story.


End file.
